Many new and revised requirements in the 2014 NEC® impact residential, commercial, and industrial electrical installations, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The 2014 NFPA 70®: NEC® covers the latest requirements on electrical wiring and equipment installation issues, including minimum provisions for the use of connections, voltage markings, conductors, and cables. Chapters address specific circumstances surrounding special occupancies and industrial equipment and machines. It also contains specific details on the safe installation and use of communications and signaling conductors.

All requirements in the National Electrical Code® are confirmed through a rigorous process of comprehensive review, markup, annotation and revision. The NEC has been published since 1897, and in that time the code and its accompanying National Electrical Code Handbook have undergone radical restructuring to reflect the latest electrical and wiring technologies.

The 2014 edition of the NEC has been revised to include important changes such as:

• Expanded AFCI and GFCI protection in homes
• Continued emphasis on making installations safe for electrical workers
• Coverage of new methods to distribute low voltage power
• New approaches toward ensuring safety of photovoltaic (PV) electric systems
• Changes to the long-standing voltage thresholds used in the Code
• Plus hundreds of others that allow for the safe implementation of the latest in electrical system and equipment technology.

According to NFPA, electrical hazards result in many thousands of accidents in residences and commercial spaces each year. NFPA 70: National Electrical Code is the nation's singular code for safe electrical installation. Over its 100+ years of publication, the NEC has become the most trusted electrical standard throughout much of the world, lending considerable weight to its authoritative collection of code requirements. As time moves forward, so does the NEC. The 2014 edition added four all-new Articles on growing technologies such as:

• Low Voltage Direct Current Distribution Systems (Article 393)
• Modular Data Centers (Article 646)
• Fire Resistive Cable Systems (Article 728)
• Energy Management Systems (Article 750)

The Code's charter is broad, covering electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways for a wide array of spaces and premises. This includes all public and private buildings, homes, and structures; outdoor yards and lots; installations that connect to the power grid; and utility equipment. Major changes in the NEC also respond to electrical safety concerns with respect to NFPA 70E®: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®, such as new centralized locking requirements, field marking of equipment, and hazard warning labels.

NFPA 70is the foundation of all electrical wiring and practice in the United States, and going without the latest edition creates a needless risk. Protect lives and property from electrical dangers and buy the 2014 National Electrical Code today. (Softbound, 910 pp., 2014)

For information, call NFPA toll-free 1-800-344-3555
www.nfpa.org