“Une leçon clinique à la Salpêtrière” 1887 André Brouillet
Many large research universities have significant medical research and healthcare delivery enterprises. The leadership of those enterprises discount the effect of standards like this at their peril. It is easy to visualize that this document will have as transformative effect upon the healthcare industry as the ISO 9000 series of management standards in the globalization of manufacturing.
Standardization in the field of healthcare organization management comprising, terminology, nomenclature, recommendations and requirements for healthcare-specific management practices and metrics (e.g. patient-centered staffing, quality, facility-level infection control, pandemic management, hand hygiene) that comprise the non-clinical operations in healthcare entities.
Excluded are horizontal organizational standards within the scope of:
quality management and quality assurance (TC 176);
human resource management (TC 260);
risk management (TC 262);
facility management (TC 267), and;
occupational health and safety management (TC 283).
Also excluded are standards relating to clinical equipment and practices, enclosing those within the scope of TC 198 Sterilization of health care products.
This committee is led by the US Technical Advisory Group Administrator —Ingenesis. The committee is very active at the moment, with new titles drafted, reviewed and published on a near-monthly basis,
DPAS ballot for ISO PAS 23617- Healthcare organization management: Pandemic response (respiratory) —Guidelines for medical support of socially vulnerable groups – Comments due 16 October
Four years ago Mom made a surprise visit to the ‘Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing’. Was always her dream that young women, especially from poor families, fulfil theirs to become nurses. The students were ecstatic to actually see a lady they only knew as a painting on the wall. pic.twitter.com/LBHHCLVhKy
The American National Standards Institute — the Global Secretariat for ISO — does not provide content management systems for its US Technical Advisory Groups. Because of the nascent committee, inspired by the work of Lee Webster at the University of Texas Medical Branch needed a content management system, we have been managing content on a Google Site facility on a University of Michigan host since 2014.Earlier this spring, the University of Michigan began upgrading its Google Sites facility which requires us to offload existing content onto the new facility before the end of June. That process is happening now. Because of this it is unwise for us to open the content library for this committee publicly. Respecting copyright, confidentiality of ISO and the US Technical Advisory Group we protect most recent content in the link below and invite anyone to click in any day at 15:00 (16:00) UTC. Our office door is open every day at this hour and has been for the better part of ten years.
Some of the common electro-technologies used in a neonatal care unit include:
Incubators: These temperature-controlled units create a controlled environment to keep premature or sick infants warm and protected.
Ventilators: Mechanical ventilators assist newborns with respiratory distress by delivering oxygen and helping them breathe.
Monitors: These devices track vital signs such as heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and temperature to ensure the baby’s health and detect any abnormalities.
Phototherapy Lights: Special lights are used to treat jaundice in newborns, helping to break down excess bilirubin in the blood.
Intravenous Pumps: These pumps are used to deliver medications, fluids, and nutrients directly into the baby’s bloodstream.
Feeding Tubes: For infants who are unable to feed orally, feeding tubes are used to deliver breast milk or formula directly into their stomach.
Blood Gas Analyzers: These machines measure the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases in a baby’s blood to monitor respiratory status and acid-base balance.
Infusion Pumps: Used to administer controlled amounts of fluids, medications, or nutrients to newborns.
CPAP/BiPAP Machines: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machines help newborns with breathing difficulties by providing a continuous flow of air pressure.
Neonatal Resuscitation Equipment: This includes equipment such as resuscitation bags, endotracheal tubes, laryngoscopes, and suction devices used during emergency situations to assist with newborn resuscitation.
It’s important to note that specific tools and equipment may vary depending on the level of neonatal care provided by the unit, the needs of the infants, and the policies of the healthcare facility.
Neonatal care, as a specialized field, has been shaped by the contributions of several pioneers in medicine. Here are a few notable figures who have made significant advancements in neonatal care:
Dr. Virginia Apgar was an American obstetrical anesthesiologist who developed the Apgar score in 1952. The Apgar score is a quick assessment tool used to evaluate the overall health of newborns immediately after birth. It assesses the baby’s heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color, providing valuable information for prompt intervention and monitoring.
Dr. Martin Couney, a pioneering physician, established incubator exhibits at world fairs and amusement parks in the early 20th century. He promoted the use of incubators to care for premature infants and played a significant role in popularizing the concept of neonatal intensive care.
Dr. Virginia A. Apgar, an American pediatrician and neonatologist, made significant contributions to the field of neonatology. She specialized in the care of premature infants and conducted extensive research on neonatal resuscitation and newborn health. She also developed the Apgar scoring system, although unrelated to Dr. Virginia Apgar mentioned earlier.
Dr. Lula O. Lubchenco was an influential researcher and neonatologist who made important contributions to the understanding of newborn growth and development. She developed the Lubchenco Growth Chart, which provides a standardized assessment of a newborn’s size and gestational age, aiding in the identification and monitoring of growth abnormalities.
Dr. Mary Ellen Avery was a renowned American pediatrician and researcher whose work focused on understanding and treating respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature infants. She identified the importance of surfactant deficiency in RDS and contributed to the development of surfactant replacement therapy, revolutionizing the care of preterm infants.
These individuals, among many others, have played pivotal roles in advancing the field of neonatal care, improving the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and overall outcomes for newborn infants.
“The Jack Pine” | Tom Thomson (1916) | National Gallery of Canada
Originally posted January 2014
In these clips — selected from Canadian Parliamentary debate in 2013 — we observe three points of view about Incorporation by reference(IBR); a legislative drafting technique that is the act of including a second document within a main document by referencing the second document.
This technique makes an entire second (or referenced) document a part of the main document. The consensus documents in which we advocate #TotalCostofOwnership concepts are incorporated by reference into legislation dealing with safety and sustainability at all levels of government. This practice — which many consider a public-private partnership — is a more effective way of driving best practices for technology, and the management of technology, into regulated industries.
Parent legislation — such as the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act – almost always require intermediary bureaucracies to administer the specifics required to accomplish the broad goals of the legislation. With the gathering pace of governments everywhere expanding their influence over larger parts of the technologies at the foundation of national economies; business and technology standards are needed to secure that influence. These standards require competency in the application of political, technical and financial concepts; competencies that can only be afforded by incumbent interests who build the cost of their advocacy into the price of the product or service they sell to our industry. Arguably, the expansion of government is a reflection of the success of incumbents in business and technical standards; particularly in the compliance and conformity industries.
About two years ago, the US debate on incorporation by reference has been taken to a new level with the recent statement released by the American Bar Association (ABA):
The incorporation by reference policy dilemma has profound implications for how we safely and economically design, operate and maintain our “cities-within-cities” in a sustainable manner but, admittedly, the results are only visible in hindsight over a time horizon that often exceed the tenure of a typical college or university president.
A recent development — supporting the claims of ANSI and its accredited standards developers — is noteworthy:
The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) manages a website — Standards.GOV — that is a single access point for consensus standards incorporated by reference into the Code of Federal Regulations: Standards Incorporated by Reference Database. Note that this database does not include specific reference to safety and sustainability codes which are developed by standards setting organizations (such as NFPA, ICC, IEEE, ASHRAE and others) and usually incorporated by reference into individual state public safety and technology legislation.
LEARN MORE:
We applaud the Federal Government’s commitment to fund free access to the National Building Codes that are developed by the @NRC_CNRC. As a not-for-profit developer of standards that contribute to the health, safety and well-being of Canadians, CSA Group…https://t.co/QqhdkDvb7spic.twitter.com/1KRDvxDTaC
Artificial lighting was first introduced to theater dramatic performance stages in the 17th century. The use of candles and oil lamps initially provided a means to illuminate the stage, allowing performances to take place in the evening and enhancing the visibility for both actors and the audience. Before this development, theatrical performances were typically held during daylight hours due to the reliance on natural light.
In the early 17th century, theaters in England began experimenting with various lighting techniques. Thomas Killigrew’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, is often credited as one of the first theaters to use artificial lighting. The use of candles and later oil lamps evolved over time, leading to more sophisticated lighting setups as technology advanced.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw further innovations in stage lighting, including the use of gas lamps. Eventually, the introduction of electric lighting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries revolutionized stage lighting, providing theaters with a more reliable and controllable source of illumination. This allowed for greater creativity in the design and execution of lighting effects, contributing significantly to the overall theatrical experience.
Today our focus turns to outdoor electric deicing and snow melting wiring systems identified as suitable for the environment and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. They work silently to keep snow load from caving in roofs and icicles falling from gutters onto pedestrian pathways.
While the voltage and ampere requirement of the product itself is a known characteristic, the characteristic 0f the wiring pathway — voltage, ampere, grounding, short circuit, disconnect and control — is relatively more complicated and worthy of our attention. Articles 426-427 of the National Electrical Code is the relevant part of the NEC
We hold Articles 427 in the middle of our priority ranking for the 2023 NEC. We find that the more difficult issues for this technology is the determination of which trade specifies these systems — architectural, electrical, or mechanical; covered in previous posts. Instead, most of our time will be spent getting IEEE consensus products in step with it, specifically ANSI/IEEE 515 and IEEE 844/CSA 293.
Comments on the Second Draft of the 2026 NEC will be received until April 18th.
We collaborate with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facility Committee which meets online 4 times per month in European and American time zones. Since a great deal of the technical basis for the NEC originates with the IEEE we will also collaborate with IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 18 whose members are charged by the IEEE Standards Association to coordinate NFPA and IEEE consensus products.
Issue: [19-151]
Category: Electrical, Energy
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Jose Meijer
Our interest lies in closing a technical gap that exists upstream from the building service point and downstream from the utility supply point. Some, not all of it, can be accomplished with titles in the IEEE catalog.
Given the dominance of vertical incumbents in the electric power domain, we will submit a tranche of reliability concepts into the ASHRAE, NFPA and ICC catalogs — not so much with the expectation that they will be gratefully received — but that our proposals will unleash competitive energies among developers of voluntary consensus standards.
In power system engineering, availability and reliability are two important concepts, but they refer to different aspects of the system’s performance.
Reliability:
Reliability refers to the ability of a power system to perform its intended function without failure for a specified period under given operating conditions. It is essentially a measure of how dependable the system is.
Reliability metrics often include indices such as the frequency and duration of outages, failure rates, mean time between failures (MTBF), and similar measures.
Reliability analysis focuses on identifying potential failure modes, predicting failure probabilities, and implementing measures to mitigate risks and improve system resilience.Availability:
Availability, on the other hand, refers to the proportion of time that a power system is operational and able to deliver power when needed, considering both scheduled and unscheduled downtime.
Availability is influenced by factors such as maintenance schedules, repair times, and system design redundancies.
Availability is typically expressed as a percentage and can be calculated using the ratio of the uptime to the total time (uptime plus downtime).
Availability analysis aims to maximize the operational readiness of the system by minimizing downtime and optimizing maintenance strategies.
Reliability focuses on the likelihood of failure and the ability of the system to sustain operations over time, while availability concerns the actual uptime and downtime of the system, reflecting its readiness to deliver power when required. Both concepts are crucial for assessing and improving the performance of power systems, but they address different aspects of system behavior.
Comment:These 1-hour sessions tend to be administrative in substance, meeting the minimum requirements of the Sunshine Act. This meeting was no exception. Access to the substance of the docket is linked here.
On Monday June 13th, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission commissioners informed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the “environmental justice” agenda prohibits reliable dispatchable electric power needed for national power security. One megawatt of natural gas generation does not equal one megawatt of renewable generation. The minority party on the committee — the oldest standing legislative committee in the House of Representatives (established 1795) — appears indifferent to the reliability consequences of its policy.
“Our nation’s continued energy transition requires the efficient development of new transmission infrastructure. Federal and state regulators must address numerous transmission-related issues, including how to plan and pay for new transmission infrastructure and how to navigate shared federal-state regulatory authority and processes. As a result, the time is ripe for greater federal-state coordination and cooperation.”
At the July 20th meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Tristan Kessler explained the technical basis for a Draft Final Rule for Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements, On August 16th the Commission posted a video reflecting changes in national energy policy since August 14, 2003; the largest blackout in American history.
Mike Anthony is ID Number 469 | Proposal period closes 11:59 PM US Pacific Time | May 15
Meeting Notes in red
Loss of electric power and internet service happens more frequently and poses at least an equal — if not greater threat — to public safety. So why does neither the National Electrical Code or the National Electrical Safety Code integrate reliability into their core requirements? Reliability requirements appear in a network of related documents, either referenced, or incorporated by reference; sometimes automatically, sometimes not.
NESC Main Committee Membership: Page xii
Apart from the IEEE as the accredited standards developer, there are no “pure non-government user-interests” on this committee; although ANSI’s Essential Requirements for balance of interests provides highly nuanced interpretation. The Classifications on Page xiii represents due diligence on meeting balance of interest requirements.
In our case, we are one of many large universities that usually own district energy plants that both generate and purchase generate electric power (as sometimes provide var support to utilities when necessary; as during the August 2003 North American outage). For University of Michigan, for example, has about 20 service points at 4.8 – 120 kV. Its Central Power Plant is the largest cogeneration plant on the DTE system.
Contents: Page xxviii | PDF Page 29
Absence of internet service is at least as much a hazard, and more frequent, than downed wires. Is there a standards solution? Consideration of interoperability of internet service power supported on utility poles should track in the next revision.
No mention of any reliability related IEEE reliability standards in the present edition. Why is this?
Section 2: Definitions of Special Terms| PDF Page 46
In the 2023 Handbook, the term “reliability” shows up 34 times.
availability (from Bob Arno’s IEEE 3006-series and IEEE 493 Gold Book revision)
reliability (Bob Arno)
utility (PDF Page 57)
communication | PDF Page 47
list of terms defined in the 2023 National Electrical Code that are new and relevant to this revision: (Article 100 NEC)
municipal broadband network, digital subscriber line, surveillance cameras
wireless communication system
010. Purpose | PDF Page 40
Looks like improvement since last edition. Suggest explicit Informational Note, as in the NEC, using “reliability” and referring to other agencies. “Abnormal events” could be tighter and refer to other standards for abnormal, steady-state events. The clarification of purpose is welcomed although a great deal remains uncovered by other best practice literature; though that can be repaired in this edition.
Legacy of shared circuit path standards. Should provisions be made for municipal surveillance, traffic and vehicle control infrastructure. What would that look like?
011. Scope | Covered PDF Page 40
3. Utility facilities and functions of utilities that either (a) generate energy by conversion from some other form of energy such as, but not limited to, fossil fuel, chemical, electrochemical, nuclear, solar, mechanical, wind or hydraulic or communication signals, or accept energy or communication signals from another entity, or (b) provide that energy or communication signals through a delivery point to another entity.
5. Utility facilities and functions on the line side of the service point supplied by underground or overhead conductors maintained and/or installed under exclusive control of utilities located on public or private property in accordance with legally established easements or rights-of-way, contracts, other agreements (written or by conditions of service), or as authorized by a regulating or controlling body. NOTE: Agreements to locate utility facilities on property may be required where easements are either (a) not obtainable (such as locating utility facilities on existing rights-of-way of railroads or other entities, military bases, federal lands, Native American reservations, lands controlled by a port authority, or other governmental agency), or (b) not necessary (such as locating facilities necessary for requested service to a site).
012. General Rules | Covered PDF Page 42
For all particulars not specified, but within the scope of these rules, as stated in Rule 011A, design, construction, operation, and maintenance should be done in accordance with accepted good practice for the given local conditions known at the time by those responsible for the communication or supply lines and equipment
General purpose clause could use some work since no definition of “accepted good practice”. Refer to IEEE bibliography.
Section 2: Definition of special terms | PDF Page 46
Recommendations elsewhere should track here.
The word “installation” appears 256 times and is generally understood in context by experts. Suggest borrow from NEC to clarify our concern for including co-linear/communication circuits.
conduit. exclusive control, lines, photovoltaic, NEC interactive. qualified
Section 3: Reference
NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®). [Rules 011B4 NOTE, 099C NOTE 1, and 127
IEEE Std 4™-1995, IEEE Standard Techniques for High-Voltage Testing. [Table 410-2 and Table 410-3]
IEEE Std 516™-2009, IEEE Guide for Maintenance Methods on Energized Power-Lines. [Rules 441A4
NOTE 2, 446B1, and 446D3 NOTE, and Table 441-5, Footnote 4]
IEEE Std 1427™-2006, IEEE Guide for Recommended Electrical Clearances and Insulation Levels in
Air-Insulated Electrical Power Substations. [Rule 124A1 NOTE, Table 124-1, 176 NOTE, and 177 NOTE]
IEEE Std 1584™-2002, IEEE Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations. [Table 410-1,
Footnotes 1, 3, 6, and 14]
IEEE Std C62.82.1™-2010, IEEE Standard for Insulation Coordination—Definitions, Principles, and Rules.
[Table 124-1 Footnote 5]
Add references to Gold Book, 1386, etc. IEC since multinationals conform.
Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | PDF Page 111
Has anyone confirmed that these tables match NEC Table 495.24 lately? If it helps: there were no meaningful changes in the 2023 NEC in Article 495, the high voltage article
Section 11. Protective arrangements in electric supply stations | PDF Page 77
A safety sign shall be displayed on or beside the door or gate at each entrance. For fenced or walled electric supply stations without roofs, a safety sign shall be displayed on each exterior side of the fenced or wall enclosure. Where the station is entirely enclosed by walls and roof, a safety sign is required only at ground level entrances. Where entrance is gained through sequential doors, the safety sign should be located at the inner door position. (A clarification but no change. See Standards Michigan 2017 proposals)
Recommend that all oil-filled cans be removed and services upgraded through energy regulations with new kVA ratings
Section 12: Installation and maintenance of equipment
093. Grounding conductor and means of connection
Fences The grounding conductor for fences required to be effectively grounded by other parts of this Code shall meet the requirements of Rule 093C5 or shall be steel wire not smaller than Stl WG No. 5.
D. Guarding and protection | PDF Page 67
124. Guarding live parts| PDF Page 85
Propose roofs required for exterior installations
Part 2. Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | Page 72
Section 22. Relations between various classes of lines and equipment | Page 80
222. Joint use of structures | Page 82
Where the practice of joint use is mutually agreed upon by the affected utilities, facilities shall be subject to the appropriate grade of construction specified in Section 24. Joint use of structures should be
considered for circuits along highways, roads, streets, and alleys. The choice between joint use of structures and separate lines shall be determined through cooperative consideration with other joint
users of all the factors involved, including the character of circuits, worker safety, the total number and weight of conductors, tree conditions, number and location of branches and service drops, structure
conflicts, availability of right-of-way, etc.
Reliability considerations for sustaining internet service when power supply is absent.
Par2 Section 20 Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | PDF Page 111
Has anyone confirmed that these tables match NEC Table 495.24 lately?
Part 3. Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Underground Electric Supply and Communication Lines | Page 220
Renewable energy for internet access
311. Installation and maintenance
A. Persons responsible for underground facilities shall be able to indicate the location of their facilities.
B. Reasonable advance notice should be given to owners or operators of other proximate facilities that
may be adversely affected by new construction or changes in existing facilities.
C. For emergency installations, supply and communication cables may be laid directly on grade if the
cables do not unreasonably obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic and either:
1. The cables are covered, enclosed, or otherwise protected, or
2. The locations of the cables are conspicuous.
Supply cables operating above 600 V shall meet either Rule 230C or 350B.
NOTE: See Rules 014B2 and 230A2d.
Part 4. Work Rules for the Operation of Electric Supply and Communications Lines and Equipment | PDF Page 289
When and why was the term “Work” added to the title of this section?
Core text for the definition of wireless communication system reliability
Appendix E Bibliography| PDF Page 355
Index | PDF Page 398
The word “reliability” appears only three times. Should it track in the NESC or should it track in individual state requirements. So neither the NEC nor the NESC couples closely with power and communication reliability; despite the enormity and speed of research.
The NFPA 99 Healthcare Facilities Code committee develops a distinct consensus document (i.e. “regulatory product”) that is distinct from National Electrical Code Article 517; though there are overlaps and gaps that are the natural consequence of changing technology and regulations. It is worthwhile reviewing the scope of each committee:
NFPA 99 Scope: This Committee shall have primary responsibility for documents that contain criteria for safeguarding patients and health care personnel in the delivery of health care services within health care facilities: a) from fire, explosion, electrical, and related hazards resulting either from the use of anesthetic agents, medical gas equipment, electrical apparatus, and high frequency electricity, or from internal or external incidents that disrupt normal patient care; b) from fire and explosion hazards; c) in connection with the use of hyperbaric and hypobaric facilities for medical purposes; d) through performance, maintenance and testing criteria for electrical systems, both normal and essential; and e) through performance, maintenance and testing, and installation criteria: (1) for vacuum systems for medical or surgical purposes, and (2) for medical gas systems; and f) through performance, maintenance and testing of plumbing, heating, cooling , and ventilating in health care facilities.
NFPA 70 Article 517 Scope: The provisions of this article shall apply to electrical construction and installation criteria in healthcare facilities that provide services to human beings. The requirements in Parts II and III not only apply to single-function buildings but are also intended to be individually applied to their respective forms of occupancy within a multi-function building (e.g. a doctor’s examining room located within a limited care facility would be required to meet the provisions of 517.10) Informational Note: For information concerning performance, maintenance, and testing criteria, refer to the appropriate health care facilities documents.
In short, NFPA 70 Article 517 is intended to focus only on electrical safety issues though electrotechnology complexity and integration in healthcare settings (security, telecommunications, wireless medical devices, fire safety, environmental air control, etc.) usually results in conceptual overlap with other regulatory products such as NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) and the International Building Code.
Several issues were recently debated by the Article 517 technical committee during the 2023 National Electrical Code Second Draft meetings
The conditions under which reconditioned electrical equipment be installed in healthcare settings; contingent on listing and re-certification specifics.
Relaxation of the design rules for feeder and branch circuit sizing through the application of demand factors.
Application of ground fault circuit interrupters.
“Rightsizing” feeder and branch circuit power chains (Demand factors in Section 517.22)
Patient care space categories
Independence of power sources (517.30)
There are, of course, many others, not the least of which involves emergency management. For over 20 years our concern has been for the interdependency of water and electrical power supply to university hospitals given that many of them are part of district energy systems.
We need to “touch” this code at least once a month because of its interdependence on other consensus products by other standards developing organizations. To do this we refer NFPA 99 standards action to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets online four times monthly in European and American time zones.
The transcript of NEC Article 517 Public Input for the 2023 revision of NFPA 70 is linked below. (You may have to register your interest by setting up a free-access account):
We break down NFPA 70 and NFPA 99 together and keep them on the standing agenda of both our Power and Health colloquia; open to everyone. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
Issues: [12-18, [15-97] and [16-101]
Contact: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Robert Arno, Josh Elvove, Joe DeRosier, Larry Spielvogel
This title sets the standard of care for construction, operation and maintenance of power and telecommunication infrastructure on the supply side of the point of common coupling. It is the first title to contemplate when weather disasters happen; with most public utilities bound to its best practice assertions by statute. Pre-print of Change Proposals for changes to appear in 2028 Edition will be available by 1 July 2025; with 24 March 2026 as the close date for comments on proposed changes.
The standard of care for electrical safety at high and low voltage is set by both the NEC and the NESC. There are gaps, however (or, at best “gray areas”) — the result of two technical cultures: utility power culture and building fire safety culture. There is also tradition. Local system conditions and local adaptation of regulations vary. Where there is a gap; the more rigorous requirement should govern safety of the public and workers.
The 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)– an IEEE title often mistaken for NFPA’s National Electrical Code (NEC) — was released for public use about six months ago; its normal 5-year revision cycle interrupted by the circumstances of the pandemic. Compared with the copy cost of the NEC, the NESC is pricey, though appropriate for its target market — the electric utility industry. Because the 2023 revision has not been effectively “field tested” almost all of the available support literature is, effectively, “sell sheets” for pay-for seminars and written by authors presenting themselves as experts for the battalions of litigators supporting the US utility industry. Without the ability to sell the NESC to prospective “insiders” the NESC would not likely be commercial prospect for IEEE. As the lawsuits and violations and conformance interests make their mark in the fullness of time; we shall see the 2023 NESC “at work”.
Change Proposals are now being accepted from the public for revisions to the 2023 Edition of the National Electrical Safety Code® #NESC through 15 May 2024.
The new code goes into effect 1 February 2023, but is now available for access on IEEE Xplore! Produced exclusively by IEEE, the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) specifies best practices for the safety of electric supply and communication utility systems at both public and private utilities. The bibliography is expanding rapidly:
The IEEE NESC technical committee has released a “fast track” review of proposed changes to fault-managed power system best practice:
CP5605 Provides a definition of new Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for the powering of
communications equipment clearly defines what constitutes a FMPS circuit for the purposes of application of the NESC
Rules of 224 and 344 https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXtAAAAADhMnPs
CP5606 Provides new definitions of Communication Lines to help ensure that Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS)
circuits used for the exclusive powering of communications equipment are clearly identified as communications lines
and makes an explicit connection to Rule 224B where the applicable rules for such powering circuits are found. https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXpAAAAAFfvWIs
CP5607 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield. https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXuAAAAAEEt3p4
CP5608 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield. https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXvAAAAAGrzyeI
We refer them to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee for further action, if any.
August 5, 2022
We collaborate closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee (IEEE E&H) to negotiate the standard of care for power security on the #SmartCampus since many campus power systems are larger than publicly regulated utilities. Even when they are smaller, the guidance in building the premise wiring system — whether the premise is within a building, outside the building (in which the entire geography of the campus footprint is the premise), is inspired by IEEE Standards Association administrated technical committees.
Northeast Community College | Norfolk, Nebraska
Today we begin a list of noteworthy changes to be understood in the next few Power colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
New rules 190 through 195 cover photovoltaic generating stations. Rule 116c adds an exception for short lengths of insulated power cables and short-circuit protection if the situation involves fewer than 1,000 volts.
Rule 320B has been revised to clarify separations that apply to communications and supply in different conduit systems.
Table 410-4 is based on the latest arc flash testing on live-front transformers.
Rule 092A adds an exception allowing protection, control, and safety battery systems to not be grounded.
Rules 234 B1, C1, D1 were revised to better present vertical and horizontal wind clearances, and to coordinate requirements with the new Table 234-7.
Rule 120A was revised to provide correction factors for clearances on higher elevations.
Table 253-1 has been revised to reduce the load factor for fiber-reinforced polymer components under wire tension—including dead ends—for Grade C construction.
Rule 410A now requires a specific radio-frequency safety program for employees who might be exposed.
In the Clearances section, as well as in the specification of the Grade of Construction in Table 242-1, the Code further clarifies the use of non-hazardous fiber optic cables as telecom providers continue to expand their networks.
Revisions in the Strength & Loading sections include modified Rule 250C, which addresses extreme wind loading for overhead lines. Two wind maps are now provided instead of the previous single one. A map for Grade B, the highest grade of construction, with a Mean Recurrence Interval (MRI) of 100 years (corresponding to a one percent annual probability of occurrence) is provided in place of the previous 50–90-year MRI map. For Grade C construction, a separate 50-year MRI (two percent annual probability of occurrence) map is now provided. In the previous Code, a factor was applied to the 50–90-year MRI map for application to Grade C.
Changes were also made to the method of determining the corresponding wind loads, consistent with the latest engineering practices as an example of a Code revision focused on public safety, the ground end of all anchor guys adjacent to regularly traveled pedestrian thoroughfares, such as sidewalks, and similar places where people can be found must include a substantial and conspicuous marker to help prevent accidents. The previous Code did not require the marking of every such anchor guy.
Significant revisions were made in Section 14 covering batteries. Previous editions of the code were based on lead-acid technology and batteries only used for backup power. The 2023 Code incorporates the new battery technologies and addresses energy storage and backup power.
A new Section 19 of the code covers photovoltaic generating stations, with sections addressing general codes, location, grounding configurations, vegetation management, DC overcurrent protection, and DC conductors. These new rules accommodate large-scale solar power projects.
In the Clearances section, all rules for wireless antenna structures have been consolidated in the equipment section (Rule 238 and 239), which makes the Code more user-friendly.
A new subcommittee was created focusing on generating stations, with the original subcommittee continuing to address substations.
A working group is investigating Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS) cables as the technology may be used for 5G networks. The team is looking at possible impacts, including clearances and work rules.
Several proposals recommending improvements to the 2017 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) were submitted to the IEEE subcommittees drafting the 2022 revision of the NESC. Some of the proposals deal with coordination with the National Electrical Code — which is now in its 2023 revision cycle. Keep in mind that that NESC is revised every 5 years at the moment; the NEC is revised every 3 years.
The original University of Michigan standards advocacy enterprise has been active in writing the NESC since the 2012 edition and set up a workspace for use by electrical professionals in the education industry. We will be using this workspace as the 2022 NESC continues along its developmental path:
The NESC is a standing item on the 4-times monthly teleconferences of the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities committee. The next online meeting is shown on the top menu of the IEEE E&H website:
We have a copy of the first draft of the 2023 NESC and welcome anyone to join us for an online examination during any of Power & ICT teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
Business unit leaders, facility managers and electrical engineers working in the education facilities industry may be interested in the campus power system reliability database. Forced outages on large research campuses, for example, can have enterprise interruption cost of $100,000 to $1,000,000 per minute. The campus power system forced outage database discriminates between forced outages attributed to public utility interruptions and forced outages attributed to the university-owned power system. The E&H committee will convey some of the discipline applied by the IEEE 1366 technical committee into its study of campus power systems and, ultimately, setting a benchmark for the standard of care for large university power systems.
* The IEEE changed the nominal date of the next edition; likely owed to pandemic-related slowdown typical for most standards developing organizations.
Issue: [16-67]
Contact: Mike Anthony, Robert G. Arno, Lorne Clark, Nehad El-Sharif, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Joe Weber, Guiseppe Parise, Jim Murphy
Category: Electrical, Energy Conservation & Management, Occupational Safety
The 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (#NESC) will be published this August. Stay tuned for new resources from #IEEE coming soon! Read about the upcoming changes here:https://t.co/VLXCNaf74S
— IEEE Educational Activities (@IEEEeducation) June 8, 2022
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
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