power lines

National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC®)

The one-stop resource for the National Electrical Safety Code.

About the nesc

Published exclusively by IEEE, the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) sets the ground rules for practical safeguarding of persons during the installation, operation, or maintenance of electric supply and communication lines and associated equipment. The NESC contains the basic provisions that are considered necessary for the safety of employees and the public under the specified conditions.

In 1972, IEEE was designated as the secretariat for the NESC. The NESC continues to be a stronghold in the U.S. electrical industry and communications utility field, and serves as the authority on safety requirements for power, telephone, cable TV, and railroad signal systems.

NOTE: NESC rules do not cover installations in mines, ships, railway rolling equipment, aircraft, automotive equipment, or utilization wiring (with some exceptions).

Additional information

General Information
Rules and applications of the NESC, NESC vs NEC, how often it is revised and more.

NESC Committee Procedures PDF format
Committee procedures for the review and revision of the Code.

NESC Member Login locked
View reports regarding the NESC. NESC members only.

Contact Us
Have questions about the NESC? Connect with IEEE-SA staff.

Electronic Revision Process
Ability to submit change proposals & comments during appropriate times of the revision process.

NESC Revision Process PDF format
Process taken to amend the NESC.

NESC Revision Schedule PDF format
View revision schedule for the 2017 edition of the NESC.

Resources

NESC Interpretation Request Form (.doc)
Submit if clarification is needed regarding the wording of a rule or set of rules is ambiguous or incomplete.

NESC Interpretations
Explain the meaning of portions of the Code as they relate to applications.

NESC Errata
Correct typographical or editorial errors that have been found in the Code.

Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA)
Amendments to the Code that have not gone through the entire standards-making process.