Is the dreaded “Code violation” really that bad? Many people seem not to think so. You’ve probably heard stories like the one about the frustrated electrical engineer who compiled a list of dozens of Code violations but couldn’t get the funds to fix them.
Managers who believe the NEC compliance is merely is “a nice goal” may be in for a rude awakening when they arrive at the facility to start their workday, only to find it’s been shut down by the sheriff or some other authority. The AHJ is required to issue a written warning [80.23] but isn’t required to allow you sufficient time to fix the problems in a cost-effective manner. If the problems are egregious, the insurer may suspend coverage (effectively forcing a shutdown) until their inspector reports the violations have been fixed.
Letting Code violations stew until you get written notice from the AHJ is bad, simply because the facility isn’t safe. If management doesn’t find this sufficiently motivating, the law provides other incentives. For example, the AHJ’s notice will likely include a compliance deadline. Each day that the deadline is missed counts as a new violation [80.23(B)(1), with each carrying separate and additional penalties.