Overview

The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) started to develop the National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC) in 1913 to bring consistency and safety to the design, construction, operation, and use of electric supply and communication installations throughout the U.S. The requirements of the original Code were based upon engineering theory and generally accepted good practice.

In 1972, the 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. However, NESC rules do not cover installations in mines, ships, railway rolling equipment, aircraft, automotive equipment, or utilization wiring (with some exceptions).

Far-reaching, intricate, and requiring careful oversight, the NESC is a document that demands expertise and hard work of the engineers who revise each edition. Copies of interim and past Interpretations are available and published on a regular basis. A Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) process allows interim changes if they are deemed sufficiently critical.