NFPA 70 500.8(C) - "Evaluated"

[Tip DS]

NFPA 70 Article 500.8(C) says, in part, "Equipment shall be marked to show the environment for which it has been evaluated." Does this imply the equipment shall be marked if it has been evaluated by a "qualified testing laboratory or inspection agency concerned with product evaluation" as mentioned in 500.8(A)? Alternatively, does this marking requirement extend to equipment that has been self-evaluated by the equipment manufacturer?

Why do I ask?
I want to make sure we are compliant.
I don't want to mark equipment, where such a marking indicates the equipment has been evaluated by a lab/agency, if that equipment has NOT been evaluated by any lab/agency.
I want to ensure we DO mark the equipment, if the markings are required, whether the evaluation was done by the manufacturer or some lab/agency.

 

[rbalex]

NFPA 70 Article 500.8(C) says, in part, "Equipment shall be marked to show the environment for which it has been evaluated." Does this imply the equipment shall be marked if it has been evaluated by a "qualified testing laboratory or inspection agency concerned with product evaluation" as mentioned in 500.8(A)? Alternatively, does this marking requirement extend to equipment that has been self-evaluated by the equipment manufacturer?

Why do I ask?
I want to make sure we are compliant.
I don't want to mark equipment, where such a marking indicates the equipment has been evaluated by a lab/agency, if that equipment has NOT been evaluated by any lab/agency.
I want to ensure we DO mark the equipment, if the markings are required, whether the evaluation was done by the manufacturer or some lab/agency.

Evaluate/evaluated has no unique NFPA or NEC definition. As such, it would be defined by Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary (NFPA's default for standard terms) as:

1: to determine or fix the value of​

2: to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study​

The key to answering your question is to ask, "What Standard are you applying to your product?" Section 500.8(A) suggests three options. In summary:

(1) Equipment listing or labeling (by a NRTL)
(2) Evidence of equipment evaluation from a qualified testing laboratory or inspection agency concerned with product evaluation
(3) Evidence acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction such as a manufacturer's self-evaluation or an owner's engineering judgment

Section 500.8(A)(1) and (2) would usually imply that an ANSI Product Standard was used to evaluate the product.
NOTE: FedOSHA and most StateOHSAs would require Section 500.8(A)(1), if possible. (See FedOSHA 29 CFR 1910.399 definition of Acceptable.) Section 500.8(A)(2) generally implies a local AHJ has access to a facility qualified to evaluate the product to the relevant ANSI Product Standard.

​

Section 500.8(A)(3) only applies when there is no ANSI Product Standard, but the manufacturer or engineer can clearly document the product/installation is compatible with Chapter 5, Articles 500 to 517 (Technically, with Articles 505 and 506 excluded since they have their own requirements)

Once Section 500.8(A) is satisfied, Section 500.8(C) comes into play. Sections 500.8(C)(1) through (C)(5) note classified location required markings. Section 500.8(C)(6) notes a few exceptions.

Appropriate marking is added to the manufacturer's nameplate or other proper signage.