Dumb question about Codes, Rules, and Standards

[puttsy]

Well, as is all too common in my computer usage, I've lost track of an interesting (but in all honesty, unimportant) article I read a while back and want to get the jist.

I was looking up the NEC and other regulatory organizations and found an article that discussed an organization of non-profits(?) (I think) that could make changes to the NEC and use those instead. I can't, for the life of me, figure out what that sub-set organization would be. I do recall that there were some rules that said group could disregard and that most people hated said group because it seemed they 'Took something straightforward [yeah right!] from the NEC and changed it to something less safe or 'correct'"

I don't recall if it was a regional or union group but, I'm also pretty sure it dealt primarily with temporary wiring/rigging opposed to permanent installations. I work in theaters/entertainment and for the limited electrical work I do in said facilities, I figure it would be a good idea to know the groups I may encounter in some strict, union facilities.

My apologies for the terrifyingly vauge description but hopefully you'all won't be too hard on my ignorance!

 

[lll otto lll]

The NEC can be amended, altered and even rejected in lieu of regional regulations as voted on by the governing bodies of any given locale.

 

[Falcon67]

The NEC can be amended, altered and even rejected in lieu of regional regulations as voted on by the governing bodies of any given locale.

That. Not law, it's just recommended practice. Locals screw with the requirements all the time. Same with UBC, plumbing codes, etc. What is fine in my city is no-go 15 miles east of here. Here we're on NEC 2008, next door it's 2008 with a bunch of local BS amendments.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You may be able to find some useful information on the Iowa Fire Marshall's website: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/electrician/index.shtml For what it's worth, whenever I work on a project in Iowa it does seem they walk to the beat of their own drummer when it comes to regulations.

 

[puttsy]

You may be able to find some useful information on the Iowa Fire Marshall's website: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/electrician/index.shtml For what it's worth, whenever I work on a project in Iowa it does seem they walk to the beat of their own drummer when it comes to regulations.

Ahh, must be what I was thinking of then. I knew there was something screwie(?) about IA electrical when every electrician I talked to said something different...and rarely mentioned/referenced the NEC.

Thanks for the input! I lightly knew the NEC wasn't a set-in-stone rule book but, didn't realize it wasn't the de-facto standard...

 

[FluxCore]

As a former insurance loss control specialist(fancy name for a boiler inspector), it matters when a jurisdiction adopts NEC and/or more restrictive code...it matters lots to your insurance company.

Losses, and premiums tend to be higher in jurisdictions that don't embrace NEC,....oh, and also actively enforce it.