by Brianna Crandall — September 3, 2014—The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced that the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) is now effective in 12 states: Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. An additional 11 states are set to enforce the 2014 edition in the coming months, notes NFPA.
According to NFPA, the NEC is one of the most widely used codes for the built environment in the world, and sets the standard for safe electrical installation and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards. The NEC is adopted and used as the benchmark for safe electrical installations in all 50 states, in many territories, and in several countries.
Many new and revised requirements in the code impact residential, commercial and industrial electrical installations. Important changes include expanded AFCI and GFCI protection in homes and other types of buildings; new approaches to photovoltaic electric systems that provide greater safety for first responders; and the best available fire and shock protection features for residential electrical systems.
The 2014 edition also added four new Articles on growing technologies:
- Low Voltage Direct Current Distribution Systems
- Modular Data Centers
- Fire Resistive Cable Systems
- Energy Management Systems
To further promote awareness of the 2014 edition of the NEC, NFPA is hosting its second annual NEC Challenge, a fun-spirited competition that tests electrical professionals’ knowledge of the code. In addition, an Android mobile app for the latest edition is now available. To download the NEC Android mobile app , visit the Google Play store. The 2014 NEC is still also available for Apple devices through iTunes.
