New Electrical Safety Rules Take Effect in Vermont

The Vermont Electricians’ Licensing Board and the Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety recently completed their rule change for the State’s Electrical Safety Rules. These rules took effect on October 1, 2017. The new rules are based on the 2017 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), but include the following amendments:

Delete and Replace
210.8(A)(10) Laundry areas and rooms: GFCI protection shall be required for receptacles installed within 6 feet (1.8 m) of a washing machine or sink.

Add
210.12(D)(2): add number to first exception, now Exception No. 1, Branch Circuit Extensions or Modifications — Dwelling Units and Dormitory Units.

Add
210.12(D)(2) Exception No. 2: AFCI protection shall not be required where the extension of the existing conductors is used solely to hardwire single station smoke and or CO alarms in an existing dwelling or dormitory unit.

Delete and Replace
230.70(A)(1)(1) Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure, or inside a building or structure nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors, not to exceed 10 feet of conductor length from the point of entrance.

Add
334.10(3) Exception: The 15-minute finish rating shall not be required in buildings or portions of buildings that are not required to be of fire resistance construction.

Delete
334.12(A)(2)

Add
518.3(D)(D) Illumination of Means of Egress. Lighting circuits and illumination of means of egress shall be provided in accordance with Section 7.8 of the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) as adopted under the Vermont Fire & Building Safety Code. [Note: see Annex II for a copy of this section as adopted.]

Delete
520.5(C), Wiring Methods for Theaters and similar locations

Delete
620.51(B) Disconnecting means: (elevator shunt-trip not required)

Delete and Replace
690.12(C) Initiation Device: The initiation device(s) shall initiate the rapid shutdown function of the PV (photovoltaic) system. The device “off” position shall indicate that the rapid shutdown function has been initiated for all PV systems connected to that device. Initiation device(s) shall be located at a readily accessible location outside the building.