
Volume 9, Issue Number 3 July 1, 2004
NECA Line Chapter Signs OSHA Alliance NECA’s Southeastern Line Constructors Chapter has formed an alliance with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to improve safety in line construction. In addition to the chapter, OSHA’s Atlanta regional office, all 35 local line construction unions in IBEW Districts 5 and 10, and the Southeas-tern Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training Council (SELCAT) are involved in this voluntary, cooperative effort. read more… 2005 National Electrical Code Adopted The 50th edition of the National Electrical Code was approved on Wednesday, May 26 in Salt Lake City, UT. Twenty-three members of the NECA Codes and Standards Committee (who represent our association on Code panels and other electrical standards committees) attended the climactic meeting. They voted upon and in some cases proposed “floor actions,” which are last-minute appeals of change proposals acted upon earlier in the Code process. The NEC is adopted at the annual meeting of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), also known as the World Safety Conference and Exposition. read more… Aluminum Conduit Standard Published The 26th volume of the National Electrical Installation Standards (NEIS)™ series has just been released. It is NECA 102-2004, Standard for Installing Aluminum Rigid Metal Conduit (ANSI). Popular for its light weight and ease of handling, aluminum RMC is often used for power distribution in commercial and industrial occupancies where mechanical protection of conductors is a priority. NECA 102 describes installation procedures for aluminum RMC, grounding considerations, and special procedures used with PVC-coated aluminum conduits. read more… NECA Advises OSHA to Follow Industry Standards In comments filed as part of a rulemaking, NECA has recommended that OSHA’s proposed revisions to the general industry electrical standard (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S) be fine-tuned to make them agree with the two leading private-industry electrical safety standards: read more… NFPA Develops Building Energy Code NFPA is currently developing a new energy code as part of its C3 (Comprehensive Consensus Codes) series of building codes. NFPA 900 will set requirements for the minimum energy-efficient design and construction of building envelopes, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) systems, water heating, electric power distribution and metering provisions, electric motors, and lighting. read more… OSHA Crane Standard Revision Nears Completion The OSHA-appointed committee negotiating changes to safety rules for construction cranes and derricks has reached a consensus on major elements of an updated standard. But revisions of the crane rule are far from complete, and may take longer than the one year originally estimated. OSHA staffers next must flesh out the committee’s consensus agreement into detailed regulatory language that will be submitted to OSHA chief John Henshaw. Then the proposed rule must be reviewed by other agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and subjected to an economic analysis. Perhaps the most contentious issue is certification of crane operators. According to Noah Connell, head of OSHA’s standards office, the consensus rule contains enough options so that everyone can comply; these include portable, third-party certification and an in-house alternative for contractors. The Crane-Derrick Advisory Committee (CDAC) also reached key compromises to provisions affecting operation around powerlines. This has been a matter of particular concern to line constructors, who work directly on high-voltage lines and equipment. Electrical contractors were represented on this panel by William J. “Doc” Weaver from NECA’s Western Line Constructors Chapter. read more… NECA Chapter Inaugurates “Near Miss” Safety Information program NECA’s Rocky Mountain Chapter has launched an innovative new campaign to improve jobsite safety by helping its member companies learn from everyone’s mistakes. read more… Fluke Recalls Modular Test Leads Fluke Corporation is recalling about 110,000 model TL221, TL222, and TL224 test leads in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These leads plug into, and are used with, Fluke digital multimeters (DMMs). read more… Code Calendar Upcoming meetings of interest to the codes & standards community: read more… InBrief Electrical Construction Defined by Codes and Standards read more…	Unsubscribe Subscribe Inside This Issue NECA Line Chapter Signs OSHA Alliance 2005 National Electrical Code Adopted Aluminum Conduit Standard Published NECA Advises OSHA to Follow Industry Standards NFPA Develops Building Energy Code OSHA Crane Standard Revision Nears Completion NECA Chapter Inaugurates “Near Miss” Safety Information program Fluke Recalls Modular Test Leads Code Calendar InBrief
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NECA Line Chapter Signs OSHA Alliance

NECA’s Southeastern Line Constructors Chapter has formed an alliance with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to improve safety in line construction. In addition to the chapter, OSHA’s Atlanta regional office, all 35 local line construction unions in IBEW Districts 5 and 10, and the Southeas-tern Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training Council (SELCAT) are involved in this voluntary, cooperative effort.

2005 National Electrical Code Adopted

The 50th edition of the National Electrical Code was approved on Wednesday, May 26 in Salt Lake City, UT. Twenty-three members of the NECA Codes and Standards Committee (who represent our association on Code panels and other electrical standards committees) attended the climactic meeting. They voted upon and in some cases proposed “floor actions,” which are last-minute appeals of change proposals acted upon earlier in the Code process. The NEC is adopted at the annual meeting of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), also known as the World Safety Conference and Exposition.

Aluminum Conduit Standard Published

The 26th volume of the National Electrical Installation Standards (NEIS)™ series has just been released. It is NECA 102-2004, Standard for Installing Aluminum Rigid Metal Conduit (ANSI). Popular for its light weight and ease of handling, aluminum RMC is often used for power distribution in commercial and industrial occupancies where mechanical protection of conductors is a priority. NECA 102 describes installation procedures for aluminum RMC, grounding considerations, and special procedures used with PVC-coated aluminum conduits.

NECA Advises OSHA to Follow Industry Standards

In comments filed as part of a rulemaking, NECA has recommended that OSHA’s proposed revisions to the general industry electrical standard (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S) be fine-tuned to make them agree with the two leading private-industry electrical safety standards:

NFPA Develops Building Energy Code

NFPA is currently developing a new energy code as part of its C3 (Comprehensive Consensus Codes) series of building codes. NFPA 900 will set requirements for the minimum energy-efficient design and construction of building envelopes, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) systems, water heating, electric power distribution and metering provisions, electric motors, and lighting.

OSHA Crane Standard Revision Nears Completion

The OSHA-appointed committee negotiating changes to safety rules for construction cranes and derricks has reached a consensus on major elements of an updated standard. But revisions of the crane rule are far from complete, and may take longer than the one year originally estimated.

OSHA staffers next must flesh out the committee’s consensus agreement into detailed regulatory language that will be submitted to OSHA chief John Henshaw. Then the proposed rule must be reviewed by other agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and subjected to an economic analysis. Perhaps the most contentious issue is certification of crane operators. According to Noah Connell, head of OSHA’s standards office, the consensus rule contains enough options so that everyone can comply; these include portable, third-party certification and an in-house alternative for contractors. The Crane-Derrick Advisory Committee (CDAC) also reached key compromises to provisions affecting operation around powerlines. This has been a matter of particular concern to line constructors, who work directly on high-voltage lines and equipment. Electrical contractors were represented on this panel by William J. “Doc” Weaver from NECA’s Western Line Constructors Chapter.

NECA Chapter Inaugurates “Near Miss” Safety Information program

NECA’s Rocky Mountain Chapter has launched an innovative new campaign to improve jobsite safety by helping its member companies learn from everyone’s mistakes.

Fluke Recalls Modular Test Leads

Fluke Corporation is recalling about 110,000 model TL221, TL222, and TL224 test leads in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These leads plug into, and are used with, Fluke digital multimeters (DMMs).

Inside This Issue