referenced material in the NEC from other NFPA standards

[mshields]

Article 517 includes text taken verbatim from NFPA 99. Other sections have similar relationships with other NFPA standards/codes. Someone told me recently, that whatever is written in the 2014 version of the NEC is based on the latest NFPA 99 document in 2014 AND that if a new version of that document is issued, such as is the case with the 2015 version of NFPA 99, the new verbiage in the new NFPA standard/code is what's applicable.

a) is this true and b) is it true even if the later version of NFPA 99 is not adopted by the states fire safety code?

 

[steve66]

Article 517 includes text taken verbatim from NFPA 99. Other sections have similar relationships with other NFPA standards/codes. Someone told me recently, that whatever is written in the 2014 version of the NEC is based on the latest NFPA 99 document in 2014 AND that if a new version of that document is issued, such as is the case with the 2015 version of NFPA 99, the new verbiage in the new NFPA standard/code is what's applicable.

a) is this true and b) is it true even if the later version of NFPA 99 is not adopted by the states fire safety code?

That's a tough one. By adopting an older version of 99, and a newer NEC that references a newer 99, haven't they basically adopted two different possibly conflicting codes? It seems like States should try to adopt similar years for codes, or just adopt the NEC and included references.

In the end, I'd say its up to the inspector or AHJ what they think should be enforced from the "referenced code".

It might also depend on what is specifically referenced in the NEC also. Say they adopt the 2014 NEC, and the really old 1993 NFPA 110. If the NEC specifically says "emergency generator systems should be installed per NFPA 110", it might be reasonable to expect the newer 2013 version of NEC 110 to apply to a newly installed generator system.

 

[roger]

NFPA 99 6.3.2.1 simply states that the electrical installation shall be in accordance with NFPA 70, which IMO means whatever NEC is currently adopted is the only NEC at that time.

I have found that NFPA 99 actually includes text from NFPA 70 more than the other way around although NFPA 99 goes into the specifics of performance and testing whereas the NEC does not.

Roger