NFPA 70e and Existing Facilities

[GCSVic]

New to the forum and a chemical engineer. Did a quick search and didn't find my answer. I manage two facilities for a local government entity. Both are at least 10 years old. It seems most codes have 'grandfather' clauses exempting existing facilities (read NFPA 101). I take it there is no such exception in 70e. Is this true?

 

[zog]

New to the forum and a chemical engineer. Did a quick search and didn't find my answer. I manage two facilities for a local government entity. Both are at least 10 years old. It seems most codes have 'grandfather' clauses exempting existing facilities (read NFPA 101). I take it there is no such exception in 70e. Is this true?

Right, no grandfather clause for 70E. Try here for all sorts of 70E info. www.arcflashforum.com

 

[wtucker]

It seems most codes have 'grandfather' clauses exempting existing facilities (read NFPA 101). I take it there is no such exception in 70e. Is this true?

NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code (and the National Electrical Code, for that matter), is mostly concerned with physical plant: Number and location of exits, etc. The grandfather clause is there because nobody could be expected to renovate or retrofit an entire facility because a standard changed. NFPA 70E, however, covers mostly practices and procedures--which can be changed pretty quickly. That's good, because it seems to me that the older a piece of equipment is, the more likely it is to be the source of an arc flash.

 

[weressl]

NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code (and the National Electrical Code, for that matter), is mostly concerned with physical plant: Number and location of exits, etc. The grandfather clause is there because nobody could be expected to renovate or retrofit an entire facility because a standard changed. NFPA 70E, however, covers mostly practices and procedures--which can be changed pretty quickly. That's good, because it seems to me that the older a piece of equipment is, the more likely it is to be the source of an arc flash.

OSHA 1910 Subpart S legally defines the limits of 'grandfathering'.

 

[wtucker]

OSHA 1910 Subpart S legally defines the limits of 'grandfathering'.

He asked about NFPA, not OSHA. But, yes, it does. From the preamble to the 2007 revision of Part 1910 (General Industry Standards) Subpart S:

"C. Grandfather Clause
"The final rule, as does the current standard, exempts older electrical installations from meeting some of the provisions of the Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems (that is, Sec. 1910.302 through 1910.308). The extent to which OSHA's electrical installation standard applies depends on the date the installation was made. Older installations must meet fewer requirements than newer ones. The grand-fathering of older installations, contained in paragraph (b) of final Sec. 1910.302, is patterned after the current standard's grandfather provisions in existing Sec. 1910.302(b). Most of the new provisions contained in the final rule only apply prospectively, to installations made after the effective date of the final rule."

 

[weressl]

He asked about NFPA, not OSHA. But, yes, it does. From the preamble to the 2007 revision of Part 1910 (General Industry Standards) Subpart S:

"C. Grandfather Clause
"The final rule, as does the current standard, exempts older electrical installations from meeting some of the provisions of the Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems (that is, Sec. 1910.302 through 1910.308). The extent to which OSHA's electrical installation standard applies depends on the date the installation was made. Older installations must meet fewer requirements than newer ones. The grand-fathering of older installations, contained in paragraph (b) of final Sec. 1910.302, is patterned after the current standard's grandfather provisions in existing Sec. 1910.302(b). Most of the new provisions contained in the final rule only apply prospectively, to installations made after the effective date of the final rule."

OSHA IS Federal law, NFPA is a local or State ordinance at best.

 

[raider1]

OSHA IS Federal law, NFPA is a local or State ordinance at best.

NFPA is a private corporation that writes codes and standards that are adopted by states and local authorities, they are not a governmental authority.

Chris