How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
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"Here is a picture of an actual energized and working electrical service for a college dormitory that we are going to have to clean up," says Dave R. Helriegel of Gillan & Hartmann, Inc., Valley Forge, Pa . "We are trying to figure out where to start first."
This equipment arrangement is totally unacceptable. First, let's call attention to a few evident hazards. All of the open enclosures can easily lead to a shock hazard for anyone in this space. This equipment is clearly not installed in a neat and workmanlike manner, as called for by 110.12. The lack of proper working space about electrical equipment violates the requirements of 110.26. There is also a lack of illumination in this area, which is a violation of 110.26(D). Finally, it looks like this equipment is installed on some old boards that look like they are insecure.
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About the Author
Joe Tedesco
Tedesco served the industry in many roles during his career. He was a director, senior electrical code instructor for National Technology Transfer, Inc. and American Trainco, Inc.. He was also a codes, standards and seminar specialist for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and an electrical field service specialist for the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, Mass. He ran his own business as an NEC consultant and is a Massachusetts licensed master electrician and journeyman electrician and certified electrical inspector (one and two family 2A; General 2B, and Plan Review, 2C). Tedesco also wrote articles for CEE News and EC&M (Code Violations Illustrated and What's Wrong Here?) for more than 15 years and helped launched the Moving Violations video series.