January 14, 2004—New York City has adopted the 2002 edition of NFPA 70, National Electric Code, (NEC), with localized amendments, to serve as the New York City electrical code, effectively immediately.
By adopting the latest edition of the NEC as the city’s model electrical code, city leaders continue to advance safety efforts that protect against hazards associated with electricity. The NEC, which is updated every three years, focuses on the proper installation of electrical systems and equipment. The code addresses issues including low voltage systems, fiber optics, digital control systems, and solar and fuel cell technology. The NEC is adopted in all 50 states and is considered the foundation for electrical safety all across the world.
In the future, New York’s Department of Buildings will use the most current version of the NEC to submit proposed amendments to the city’s electrical code.
The city is also currently working to update its model building and fire codes. The only model building and fire codes to be fully correlated with the NEC are NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code and NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code. By adopting model building and fire codes that are fully coordinated with the city’s model electrical code, New York would help to eliminate conflicts among the codes that may otherwise occur. Those conflicts can cause unnecessary delays in construction.
The NEC, NFPA 5000 and NFPA 1 are all part of a full set of codes for the built environment developed by NFPA and its partners. The Comprehensive Consensus Codes (C3) represent the only full set of construction-codes that have been developed through processes accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private, nonprofit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system.
For more information, contact NFPA.
