National Electrical Code

An NEC Crash Course to Get You Started — Part 1

May 4, 2021

Making the NEC less intimidating

Many electricians, electrical engineers, and inspectors struggle with the National Electrical Code. Some find it impenetrable. People who are first confronted with a print edition of the NEC are often intimidated by its size (the 2020 loose-leaf edition is more than 900 pages long).

Some people have suggested making the NEC smaller and simpler. Although that would be nice, the safe application of electricity is a complicated subject. However, they may be on to something. What if someone grabbed your 900-page NEC and handed you back one that was only 360 pages? Would that be easier to use? If you think so, open your loose-leaf NEC to the last page of Chapter 4. It’s page 360.

The first four chapters apply to all installations, and everything beyond those either applies to special installations or is supplemental information. And if your installation doesn’t have motors, you can also tear out Arts. 430 (the largest article) and 440 to cut about another 30 pages.

The intimidation factor thus reduced, we can now turn our attention to organization and key themes. Look for those tips in Part 2, which will be presented in the next issue of MRO Insider.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.