I work in an industrial facility that was built in the 70's and really didn't follow the NEC for the most part since then. It wasn't under OSHA regulation until the last 5 years. So I have been there for around 4 years and being a licensed electrician I feel an obligation to upgrade to current code. I realize it isn't realistic to start fixing all the problems at once but feel that if I go to work on something and it doesn't meet code that I should upgrade it. For instance if I go to change a bad motor and find it has undersized wiring, no overload protection and on a circuit with other motors or loads then I think it needs to be upgraded. Is it my responsibility to upgrade? Since we are OSHA are we required to upgrade? I really have a hard time to ignore the problems. Please give some input. Thank you.
NEC Upgrade Question
- Thread starter tpd
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Do you required to get permits and inspections? if so, then the AHJ will be most interested in a safe installation. If you work with your AHJ it will be in your interest.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
There is no AHJ or inspections. Not even on new installations that they contract out! Electricians in this industry aren't required to be licensed either so only a few of us have them. But like I said we are under OSHA so also fall under the NEC. We have another facility in the same company that falls under MSHA a few miles from us and they have been getting a lot of citations for the same issues we have because they actually get inspected. I believe that the NEC is electrical safety and if not followed then it is unsafe! So if doing what I'm told don't follow it then I would be responsible not anyone else because I know better.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
A few comments.
Licensing is a state or local thing. Either it is required or it is not.
Regardless of whether there is state or local licensing, someone, maybe effectively your employer, is the AHJ. Someone is deciding what rules will be followed.
OSHA is not interested much in what codes you follow so much as that your company makes a serious effort to be safe. They have accepted some codes as being an example of what they consider to be safe and if you follow them they are unlikely to give you any grief over what you are doing.
If there are demonstrably unsafe installations, it makes sense for your employer to correct them as they come to light. It might even make sense for your employer to initiate a survey of the facility just to look for things that might be an issue. The next step would probably be to prioritize the fixes that the survey determines needs to be done.
One thing I have noticed is that installations sometimes deemed "not to code" are really just done in a way an electrician has not commonly seen before and are perfectly safe and to code.
Licensing is a state or local thing. Either it is required or it is not.
Regardless of whether there is state or local licensing, someone, maybe effectively your employer, is the AHJ. Someone is deciding what rules will be followed.
OSHA is not interested much in what codes you follow so much as that your company makes a serious effort to be safe. They have accepted some codes as being an example of what they consider to be safe and if you follow them they are unlikely to give you any grief over what you are doing.
If there are demonstrably unsafe installations, it makes sense for your employer to correct them as they come to light. It might even make sense for your employer to initiate a survey of the facility just to look for things that might be an issue. The next step would probably be to prioritize the fixes that the survey determines needs to be done.
One thing I have noticed is that installations sometimes deemed "not to code" are really just done in a way an electrician has not commonly seen before and are perfectly safe and to code.
Thank you all for the input. I think if it is possible we need to upgrade to the current NEC. Especially when we find installations like #14 wire on a lighting circuit with a 30 amp breaker or not bonded pieces of conduit with wiring to motors. I think the current code is the absolute safest guide and anyone doing electrical work should strive to make it safe licensed or not.
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