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The NEC and Maintenance

Nov. 2, 2021
To get a baseline of NEC competence for all electrical workers, a focus on Art. 110.

A three-shift appliance plant hired a new plant engineer, who discovered nobody on staff was familiar with the National Electrical Code (NEC). The maintenance department did not even own a copy of it. The plant was full of code violations, some of them severe. Unfortunately, this situation is not uncommon.

In many cases, executive management assumes that because the plant was (presumably) built to code, it will stay up to code. This assumption does not account for equipment moves, upgrades, removals, and additions. Maintenance departments seldom hire licensed electricians. Even when they do, those people rarely end up in roles where their expertise would provide the necessary oversight, job planning, and engineering. The plant electrical engineer in all likelihood has never studied the NEC.

Work involving NEC Chapters 2 and 3 is more construction than maintenance, so is best outsourced to a qualified firm. To get a baseline of NEC competence for all electrical workers, a good strategy is to focus on Art. 110 (general requirements). A series of in-house classes can be conducted easily. To develop depth, however, individuals should be selected to study for a licensing exam.

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.

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