Electrical inspectors as well as building
inspectors have important roles in assuring safety for persons
and property. It is essential for safety that jurisdictions
establish and maintain an effective code enforcement program.
Inspections of installed work provide an opportunity for
potential shock hazards, electrocution, fire and other hazards
to be identified and corrected before the occurrence of such
sad and unnecessary events. When one gets right down to it,
the inspector has a huge responsibility and is an essential
element of the overall electrical safety system. Inspection
for electrical safety is a noble profession that requires
diligence, dedication, and, most importantly, commitment to
reasonable application of the codes and standards in the
interest of protection of property and the public.
Some other benefits of code enforcement and
building inspections that are not usually mentioned are the
positive affects on the insurance rates and the reduced amount
of fires and injuries. Usually the numbers tell the bigger
part of the story. Areas with a lot of fires and injuries that
are related to electrical installations or building
construction are generally those that are deficient in a
meaningful code enforcement program. Those that do not fully
understand the hazards of electrical safety sometimes have
difficulty understanding the importance of the inspector’s
responsibilities in electrical and building safety and
conformance assessment in general. The message of proactive
electrical safety and its importance is one that must be
conveyed more visibly, and not just in reactionary fashion.
Electrical inspections are an important part of filling this
need.
Without getting sidetracked into a whole
different discussion about those issues mentioned above, this
article is one of a series of articles that takes a closer
look at the essential role of the electrical inspector and how
important it is for the electrical inspector to know how to
identify those hot spots in the field. It is generally well
understood that the purpose of the NEC is "the
practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards
arising from the use of electricity" without exception,
as clearly indicated in Section 90.1. This concept should
always be kept in mind when application and enforcement of the
rules contained in the Code. Well, that’s about
enough time spent on the basics and the purpose. However, one
must never downplay the importance of developing a true
understanding of how the electrical Code came to be and
why it is necessary for electrical safety. Electrical
inspectors know and understand this and also how this is a
primary driving force in the high levels of dedication and
commitment to electrical safety they carry with them on the
job every day.
The Code is
the minimum
Another concept that should be well understood is that the Code is the minimum set of safety rules and requirements. It
contains provisions that are essential for safety. That means
one must do at least that much in the interest of electrical
and building safety. When the minimum requirements of the Code are met, and proper maintenance is provided as needed, it
generally results in installations that are essentially free
from hazards but that might not necessarily be adequate for
future expansion of electrical use [see 90.1(B)].
It is generally understood and a fairly
common practice for local jurisdictions to amend or modify the
minimum international and national standards with local
requirements as deemed necessary. When jurisdictions adopt the NEC, they should do so with the understanding that
based on consensus and substantiation, the rules contained in
the NEC are the minimum that must be applied and
followed. Local amendments or modifications to the minimum
national and international standard(s) are usually more
restrictive and for specific reasons of conditions that are
unique to that region or area. Examples of common local
amendments that are necessary are those dealing with harsh
soil conditions and the negative effects the soil has on
electrical equipment in contact with the earth. This is common
in various geographical areas. Another might be the more
intense heat or levels of ultra-violet rays that sunlight has
on electrical equipment. There are various other reasons that
local amendments to the Code are necessary.
Jurisdictions adopting the NEC into law should exercise
careful discretion when considering modifying (through local
amendments or Code rules) the minimum electrical safety
standards. The Code is the minimum, so we must do at
least that much. In most situations that is generally the best
approach.
The value of
electrical inspection checklists
IAEI was recently approached about putting together an article
that provides the reader with a top ten list of important
items to check for when inspecting electrical installations.
In other words develop an electrical inspection checklist.
This idea is a good one, but it is difficult to create a
written form that would provide all necessary and meaningful
information for installers and inspectors and then limit it to
a list of only ten items! However, an article that draws
attention to the hot spots of electrical installations
appeared to be interesting and might provide useful
information for the readers.
First, let’s not discount the use of
checklists in the inspection process. This type of approach
has many benefits and positive results. Three benefits are
consistency and uniformity in the application of the rules as
well as effective training tools for the inspector and
installer. Checklists are great starting points for
inspectors, but it should be clearly understood that
checklists are generally always non-inclusive and each job is
going to have a certain amount of uniqueness to it, which
might require diversion from any basic checklist. The best
approach is to use the checklists as guides and treat each
installation with a certain amount of individual attention,
always remembering that the NEC is the umbrella for any
checklist. This means do not rely on the checklist(s) alone;
rely on the Code.
Workmanship is
important
There is a general requirement applicable to all electrical
installations: Electrical equipment (see definition of
equipment) is to be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner
in accordance with Section 110.12. If a job is worth doing, it
is worth doing right. Generally speaking, good electrical work
usually looks good as well and the comfort level of inspectors
is generally raised by the quality and appearance of the work.
It’s not hard for electrical inspectors to tell if the
electrical installer has experience and meets the objectives
anticipated in the workmanlike manner rule. But it is also
important that the inspector not get too comfortable because
the work looks good from outside appearances. An installation
can appear neat and workmanlike on the surface, but contain
serious problems on the inside. This is an important
consideration and can affect the approach of the installer and
the electrical inspector.
A look at
electrical inspection hot spots
With a more general approach, a list of ten electrical
inspection hot spots is easily established. When applying the
general requirements of the NEC, a few of the many hot
spots come to mind (see table 1).
Table 1. Ten general hot spots for
electrical inspection |
| Listing and Installation Instructions |
| Equipment Ratings and
Use |
| Electrical Terminations and Connections |
| Working Space for
Electrical Equipment |
| Circuit Identification Requirements |
| Location and Number of
Services and Service Equipment Rating |
| Grounding and Bonding Circuits |
| Application of
Overcurrent Protection Requirements |
| General Wiring Installation Requirements |
| Conductor and Cable Current-Carrying Capacities |
The first important item is the approval
process and how the inspector utilizes listing and use of
listed products as a basis for approvals. So this should be a
general item that has broad application and purpose to
electrical installations and systems. It is a fairly simple
requirement that is a primary contributor to electrical
safety. Verify that the equipment or material is listed (see photo
1). Equipment that is listed has been evaluated for
electrical safety and generally includes installation
instructions for the installer to provide direction on its use
and the limits of its use. It is a common violation in the
field, yet it is a Code rule that should be so
reasonable and easy to enforce and easy to comply with. It is
still amazing to witness how many folks don’t follow
installation instructions. Section 110.3(B) is fairly clear
and, without exception, is the first hot spot in this list of
ten.
There are three other critical inspection
hot spots in electrical installations to which the rules in
chapter one of the Code apply. They are equipment
interrupting ratings covered in Section 110.9; electrical
terminations and connections covered in Section 110.14; and
adequate working space and dedicated space for electrical
equipment covered in 110.26.
Equipment ratings
and use
Equipment must have sufficient electrical ratings for the
voltage, current, phase and system, etc., and must be applied
in systems while not exceeding those limits [see NEC 110.9].
Look at the labels required to be provided on the equipment
(see photo 2).
There is a plethora of information to be understood from just
the equipment labels. I think many inspectors would agree that
there is an enormous amount of information to be included on
the labels and it seems to require smaller and smaller print
to get it all on the labels. Magnifying glasses and angle
mirrors are common tools for inspectors these days to assist
with these challenges. Installers should have a good
understanding of the markings on equipment as well.
Manufacturers of electrical equipment are more than happy to
provide additional guidance and information as needed, but the
questions need to be asked. It’s tough to learn at the end
of a red tag or inspector’s notice of violation in the
field.
Electrical
terminations and connections
Electrical circuits are only as good as their weakest link.
Common points for electrical failures are connections and
terminations at equipment and devices such as switches and
receptacles; so, electrical connections and terminals are
definite hot spots in the inspection process (see photo
3). Follow the weakest link theory when installing or
inspecting electrical terminals and connections. Be sure that
the terminal or connection device is suitable for the use and
properly installed. This includes compatibility between
conductor materials and the device, proper torque, and
ratings, etc. Improper connections and terminations are
primary causes of electrical failures and fires.
Working spaces for
electrical equipment
The minimum working spaces required in chapter one for
electrical equipment are necessary for ready and safe
operation of such equipment (see photo
4). When installing electrical equipment that requires the
minimum working and dedicated space, installers should
approach the situation as though they might have to service
the equipment or work on it in the future. Enough working
space to meet the minimum distances provided in Article 110 of
the Code is essential for safety and a definite
electrical inspection hot spot. See 110.26 and 110.32, 110.33,
and 110.34 for the minimum distances required for equipment
based on applied voltages.
Circuit and
disconnecting means identification
Identification of circuits and disconnecting means as to the
load served is an essential part of the inspection and should
be approached from the viewpoint of the occupant’s safety.
The primary beneficiary of a well thought out circuit
directory on a switchboard, panelboard, motor control center,
etc., is the occupant or user long after the final inspection
and occupancy building is taken. So the basic disconnecting
means and circuit identification requirements provided in
Section 110.22 are also inspection hot spots. Installers and
inspectors sometimes get a bit too casual with circuit
identification requirements. Changes in the 2005 NEC have placed more specific emphasis and requirements to address
this issue [see the revisions to Section 408.4].
Protection of
persons, equipment, and property
Chapter two of the Code is titled "Wiring and
Protection" and contains hundreds of minimum
requirements. Let’s look at a few of its critical electrical
inspection hot spots. The rules for ground-fault circuit
interrupters and arc-fault circuit interrupters are located in
Article 210. These two forms of protection directly correlate
with 90.1 of the Code. The minimum requirements for
GFCI and AFCI protection are in the interest of protection
persons and property (see photos 5 and 6). These
are inspection hot spots and the inspector should verify that
they are installed in locations that require this type of
protection [see NEC 210.8 and 210.12].
Location and
rating of service equipment
Requirements for electrical services are provided in Article
230 of chapter two. The number of services to a building or
structure and the location of the service disconnecting means
are two key hot spots relating to the electrical service (see photo
7). There are many more critical requirements for
electrical services, such as equipment rating, size of service
conductors, location of the service, overcurrent protection,
and so on.
Grounding and
bonding
Grounding of the electrical services and systems supplying the
premises is another primary inspection hot spot. The rules for
grounding and bonding are provided in Article 250 of chapter
two. It is important that one develop an understanding of the
performance criteria and purpose of grounding and bonding.
This is clearly provided in NEC 250.4. Effective
bonding is directly related to the proper operation of
overcurrent protective devices. Grounding is essential and
plays a slightly different role in minimizing shock hazards
and providing a means to keep conductive equipment and
enclosures at earth potential, which serves to minimize shock
hazards. An additional benefit of grounding is dissipation of
lighting or other overvoltage conditions that might be imposed
on the electrical system. Grounding and bonding circuits work
cooperatively to provide essential safety and functionality of
overcurrent protection during ground-fault and short-circuit
events.
Overcurrent
protection
Compliance with the rules in Article 240 is another hot spot
for the installer and electrical inspector. Protection of
electrical equipment and conductors is accomplished by proper
application of overcurrent protection (see photo
8). Verification of overcurrent protection types, sizes,
and locations is essential for electrical safety. Standard
ratings of overcurrent protective devices are provided in
Section 240.6. It is important to verify that overcurrent
protective devices are applied in circuits within their
short-circuit current interrupting ratings in accordance with
Section 110.9.
General electrical
wiring rules
Article 300 of chapter three in the Code includes
requirements for wiring methods for electrical installations.
Essentially these general provisions provide information about
how to install electrical circuits, wiring methods, and
equipment. Some hot spot electrical inspection essentials in
Article 300 include, but are not limited to, installation and
grouping of conductors of the same circuit, wiring method
burial depths, protection of cables installed in walls, length
of conductors in boxes, and number of conductors in boxes and
raceways (see photo
9). Be on the lookout for crowding in junction boxes and
enclosures, too many wires in raceways, and conductor
protection from abrasion where necessary. These are definite
hot spots that can lead to excessive heat and failure in time.
It is important to verify that whatever wiring method is used
for an installation is permitted for that particular use. Each
wiring method article generally provides the restrictions on
its use under the uses not permitted section (.12) of
the respective article.
Conductor and
cable current-carrying capacities
Verification of properly sized conductors is another
electrical inspection hot spot. Conductors must be capable of
carrying the connected load. The rules for wire sizes are
provided in Article 310 in chapter three. Several factors
impact the ampacity of conductors and cables in electrical
installations: calculated loads; temperature compatibility
with connected equipment, especially at terminations as
previously discussed; coordination with the overcurrent
protection, and compliance with product listings are some
essential factors in determination of conductor ampacities.
How the conductors are installed also might
require additional consideration. For example, installing
conductors in higher ambient temperatures, installing multiple
current-carrying conductors or cables together in a manner
that they are able to dissipate heat generated by current
loading. Watch for the grouping (bundling) of cables and
excessive numbers of current-carrying conductors in raceways
(see photos 10 and 11). These
are definite inspection hot spots that installers and
inspectors should be watchful for. Apply the appropriate
correction factors and be sure that the conductor is adequate
for the load and is properly protected after the correction
factors are applied.
There are many more installations that are
also inspection hot spots such as luminaire (lighting fixture)
installations, motors and air-conditioning equipment
installations and special equipment and occupancy
installations as provided in chapters five and six of the Code.
As previously covered in this article, this list of electrical
inspection hot spots is not all-inclusive. It is, however, a
fairly good starting point that provides some insight into the
responsibilities and approach of the electrical inspector in
verifying that installations are safe and meet the minimum
requirements of the Code. Obviously, all of the Code rules are for justified reason, and we have not visited all
rules that might apply to every electrical installation. Each
installation warrants its own unique challenges and is the
determining factor in which Code rules are applicable.
Electrical inspection is an essential
element for electrical safety for persons and property.
Hopefully this article has provided a small glimpse of some
common areas of concern for inspectors as they diligently
carry out their daily work. Inspection is a big
responsibility, but it is only a part of the responsibility
for safe electrical installations. The primary responsibility
for compliance with the Code rests with the installer
and owner. The role and responsibility of inspectors is to
verify compliance with requirements applicable to those
installations and systems. It is equally important that
installers of electrical conductors and equipment have a clear
and urgent sense of awareness of the electrical installation
hot spots that must be given attention in the interest of
electrical safety. Electrical safety is a responsibility
shared by many. As always, the authority having jurisdiction
has the final approving authority and responsibility. Where
there is any question about minimum requirements of the NEC,
or any local Code requirements, always consult the
authority having jurisdiction in that particular area.
Michael J. Johnston is IAEI’s
director of education, technical editor and an IAEI
principal member on CMP-5. Johnston was formerly
employed as an electrical field inspections supervisor
for the city of Phoenix, Arizona. He is a member of the
IBEW. Additionally, he holds all IAEI certifications. He
also holds ICC Electrical Inspections Certification. He
is a member of the UL Electrical Council. |
