The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued eight proposed tentative interim amendments (TIAs) to the 2020 edition of NFPA 70, The National Electrical Code (NEC). They are available now for public review and comment, with a deadline of June 27 for comments on seven of the proposed TIAs and July 7 for the last.
One proposed TIA addresses missing language in measurement of peninsular countertops for the purposes of determining the number of receptacles required.
TIA Log #1442 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 210.52(C)(2). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
As noted in a portion of the Substantiation section of this TIA:
“The text regarding how peninsular countertops are measured, which was included in the 2017 NEC as the last sentence in 210.52(C)(3), was inadvertently deleted by FR 7537. The deletion of this text was also overlooked during the second draft meetings. Without this TIA this important text would not be included in the 2020 NEC.”
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“Without the overlooked text, some will measure from the connecting perpendicular wall and some from the connecting edge. This text that would be reinstated by this TIA is necessary to prevent varying opinions on making measurements and the number of receptacle outlets required.”
Two of the proposed TIAs address voltage and current markings and labels on conductors in limited power circuits and power-over-ethernet (PoE) circuits in Sec. 725.121(C).
TIA Log #1438 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 725.121(C). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
As noted in a portion of the Substantiation section of this TIA:
“CMP-3 removed this exemption in the First Revision for 2020: “Exception – Marking shall not be required for power sources providing 0.3 amperes nominal current or less per conductor.” This imposes a new requirement on this equipment. Manufacturers will not be able to instantly comply and therefore, require time to make the appropriate changes to their equipment. The added text intentionally does not include equipment where the rated current exceeds 0.3A per conductor. This requirement was imposed in 2017 with an effective date of January 1, 2018. This equipment should already have this label and therefore is purposely excluded from coverage under this TIA.”
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“The proposed TIA intends to correct a circumstance in which the revised NFPA Standard has resulted in an adverse impact on a product or method that was inadvertently overlooked in the total revision process or was without adequate technical (safety) justification of the action.”
“As the 2020 code sits today, manufacturers will be required to comply on January 1, 2020. Unless they are involved in the revision process, they will not be aware of this new requirement and will not be able to comply on January 1, 2020.”
TIA Log #1444 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 725.121(C). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
As noted in a portion of the Substantiation section of this TIA:
“There is concern about how PoE systems will be inspected to comply with the NEC. A consistent label format will greatly ease the inspector burden, making it easy to confirm an install complies with 840.160 or 725.144 with a glance. This was overlooked by the CMP.”
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“The intention of the TIA is to get all the manufacturers to label their systems the same way, making it easy for anyone to quickly find the information required to confirm compliance.”
Two proposed TIAs address requirements for testing an arc energy reduction protection system to clarify the availability of alternative testing methods recommended by the manufacturer in cases where a primary current injection test might damage the device.
TIA Log #1451 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 240.67(C) and Informational Note (new). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
TIA Log #1452 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 240.87(C) and Informational Note (new). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
As noted in the Substantiation sections of these two TIAs:
“The language established by CMP-10 in the Second Draft of the 2020 NEC in SR 8020 recognizes the need to performance test the system for providing energy reduction for electrical worker safety, however it currently requires only primary current injection testing of “instantaneous elements of the protective device.” Not ALL energy reduction systems will utilize the instantaneous functionality of the overcurrent protective device to meet the main requirement to reduce arc energy.”
As outlined in the Emergency Nature sections of these TIAs:
“Not ALL energy reduction systems will utilize the instantaneous functionality of the overcurrent protective device to meet the main requirement to reduce arc energy. Therefore, the language must be revised to reference the manufacturer’s instructions that will ensure the system is properly performance tested without performing unnecessary tests, tests that could damage the equipment, or omit necessary performance testing.”
TIA Log #1453 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Sec. 210.8 and Informational Note No. 3(new). The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
This TIA seeks to clear up a source of confusion that arose from the wording of the 2017 NEC section on GFCI receptacle placement in and near bathrooms and the potential for appliance cords to be passed through doorways. The TIA proposes further refinement in language in the 2020 NEC Sec. 210.8 intended to clear up the confusion.
As noted in a portion of the Substantiation section of this TIA:
“While the 2020 NEC 210.8 charging text is a significant improvement over the 2017 ambiguous requirement, this revised wording of the measurement method nonetheless is editorially deficient.”
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“The reality for public safety is that if a receptacle outlet, either inside the same room within a cabinet or adjacent through a doorway, is within the 6-foot reach of an extension cord to a bathtub, sink or shower stall, it IS a real-world shock hazard, particularly as cellphone usage and consequent recharging becomes more frequent.”
TIA Log #1458 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Annex Example D3. The comment closing date on this TIA is June 27, 2019.
As noted in a portion of the Substantiation section of this TIA:
“In order to preserve the integrity of NFPA’s ANSI approved code development process, this TIA is critical. The technical merits of allowing NM cable in buildings higher than 4-stories should be fully discussed and vetted through the regular process at the 2023 NEC code-change process.”
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“The safe use of Type NM Cable in structures above 3 stories in height was questionable in the 2002 code cycle. 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.”
TIA Log #1462 to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 edition, revises Table 430.252. The comment closing date on this TIA is July 9, 2019.
As outlined in a portion of the Emergency Nature section of this TIA:
“The Correlating Committee created a Correlating Committee Second Revision to correlate sections 250.122 and 430.246. As a result, Section 430.246 was deleted but the corresponding Table 430.252 was inadvertently not removed. This TIA seeks to correct this error by deleting Table 430.252 which has no language referencing the table and will only create confusion for the user if it remains in the 2020 NEC”
Note: A TIA is tentative because it has not been processed through the entire standards-making procedures. 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 the procedures of the standards-making process.
