In 1975 the NFPA first formally introduced the 70-B Practice with recommendations for maintenance practices for electrical equipment. The oldest version of the "standard" readily available, in my office, was from 1994 but in a box somewhere, I know there is a version from 1987. Suffice it to say it has been around and in use for a while!
Did you know that in 2023, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70B has shifted from a “Recommended Practice” to a “Standard” that contains mandatory language for the development, implementation, and operation of an Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP)?
What is NFPA 70B?
The NFPA 70B is the standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance. This standard is intended to provide practical safeguards, helping to protect people and support more reliable electrical systems.
Why is that important?
NFPA 70B is considered the minimum consensus requirements for safe electrical work practices and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can use the standard to issue citations.
OK, so, what’s the big deal?
Earlier versions of NFPA 70B were labeled as a “recommended practice” for electrical maintenance. All that changed in 2023 with NFPA 70B becoming a standard by introducing mandatory language for the maintenance of electrical equipment.
How does NFPA 70B relate to NFPA 70E?
The NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace states that even if equipment is installed properly, it may not be safe to work on it unless it is “properly maintained” per the manufacturer’s instructions or industry consensus standards.
Where can I find electrical system maintenance guidance?
For companies and individuals interested in or responsible for power systems maintenance, two prominent standards drive performance: NFPA 70B Standard for Electrical Maintenance and NETA Maintenance Testing Specifications.
What are NETA Standards vs NFPA Standards:
Both NFPA and NETA documents are developed through a consensus standards development process with NETA being a recognized global as a voluntary “best practice” standard, which, while NFPA standards are recognized globally in the field of fire protection and safety, their adoption and enforcement can vary by jurisdiction.
Who enforces NFPA standards?
NFPA standards may be enforced by local Governments, Fire Departments, Building Inspectors, and Insurance Companies. On a national level, in the United States, OSHA has incorporated NFPA best practices into their standards.
What about NETA Standards?
NETA develops standards, accredits third-party electrical testing firms, and certifies electrical testing technicians. The standards establish the sequence of testing and inspections, expected test results, and recommended values and the NETA standards are intended to assure tested electrical equipment and systems are operational, are within applicable standards and manufacturer’s tolerances, and are suitable for continued service. NETA specifications are voluntary standards that widely recognized and considered best practice within the electrical power systems testing industry.
What do I need to know?
Together NFPA 70B and NETA MTS standards provide guidance for creating an electrical maintenance plan.
NFPA 70B provides explanatory material related to the inspections and tests involved, detailed information and insight into the purpose of each test.
NETA MTS, provides a check list of tests to perform and what the recommended test values should be based on other industry specifications, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standards, and manufacturer values.
What’s the “bottom line”?
While earlier versions of NFPA 70B provided direction on what electrical maintenance practices “should” be, the new 2023 version provides what they “shall” be.