EC&M Tech Talk — How to Meet NEC 110.12 “Performing Work in a Professional and Skillful Manner”

NEC Sec. 110.12 “Mechanical Execution of Work” requires electrical work be done in a “professional and skillful manner.” Unfortunately, the Code does not give us any definition for the term. However, an Informational Note in Sec. 110.12 does point us in the right direction. A NECA National Electrical Installation Standard (NEIS) becomes our guideline. The standard is, “NECA1 Good Workmanship in Electrical Construction.” NECA1 defines the requirement to complete all work professionally and skillfully. In fact, there are about thirty different NEISs that provide guidance for electrical work, and they are considered industry best practices.

In the first section of this EC&M Tech Talk, Randy Barnett provides a quick overview of certain topics from Article 110 in the NEC that revolve around code compliance. Using the NECA1 reference, a look at information found in the standard is reviewed in section two. Section three of the Tech Talk reviews installation requirements for specific systems, such as batteries, PV systems and wind turbines.

Section 4 of the Tech Talk addresses “NECA91, Recommended Practice for Maintaining Electrical Equipment”. With the recent change of NFPA 70B from a recommended practice to the “Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance” NECA provides an excellent document identifying maintenance and testing requirements for each type of electrical equipment.