Comments Sought on Proposed TIA to 2020 NEC

Proposal addresses permitted uses for Type NM, Type NMC, and Type NMS cables.

July 15, 2020

3 min read

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently released a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) to the 2020 edition of NFPA 70, National Electrical Code. Submitted by Joseph Andre of JFA Consulting, the closing date for public comments on TIA Log No. 1478 is Aug. 20, 2020. Anyone may submit a comment by that date. The proposed change would revise Sec. 334.10, items (2), (3), and (4) to read as follows:

334.10 Uses Permitted. ...

(2) Multi-family dwellings permitted to be of Types III, IV-HT, and V construction.

(3) Other structures permitted to be of Types III, IV-HT, and V construction. Cables shall be concealed within walls, floors, or ceilings that provide a thermal barrier of material that has a least a 15-minute flash rating as identified in listings of fire-rated assemblies. ...

(4) Cable trays in structures permitted to be Types III, IV-HT, or V where the cables are identified for the use. ...

Substantiation for this TIA is as follows:

“The safe use of Type NM Cable in building Types IV-A, B, or C has not been reviewed by CMP 6 or gone through the proper ANSI process. This is of an emergency nature because, without it, the NEC is effectively and drastically altered without public input or deliberation by the electrical experts on CMP-6, and will allow installations of unknown safety. The TIA is critical in maintaining the current code requirements as approved through the NFPA process.”

According to the announcement, the proposed TIA intends to accomplish a recognition of an advance in the art of safeguarding property or life where an alternative method is not in current use or is unavailable to the public. It goes on to explain the emergency nature of the proposal:

“This is of a critical nature because of the imminent implementation of the provisions of Type IVA, -B, -C in numerous jurisdictions. The states of California, Washington, and Oregon are in the process of adopting the provisions of Mass Timber buildings far in advance of publication and adoption of the full 2021 Edition of the International Building Code. The TIA is critical in maintaining the current code requirements as approved through the NFPA process while giving time to evaluate the impact of the new building code requirements.”

Note: A TIA is tentative because it has not been processed through the entire standards development process. It is interim because it is effective only between editions of the standard. A TIA automatically becomes a public input of the proponent for the next edition of the standard; as such, it then is subject to all of the procedures of the standards-making process.