90.5(C) Explanatory Material.

UL 1598 is mentioned in NEC Annex A and has several editions.
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UL 1598 is mentioned in NEC Annex A and has several editions.

Code Change Summary: A clarification was made about the use of other standards referenced in the NEC®.

The NEC® makes references to hundreds of other Standards throughout the code in the Informational Notes as well as in Annex A. Informational notes are not enforceable as requirements of the code, but they often refer to the other Standards used as the basis of the enforceable code language located above them.

Every code cycle, an effort is made to update these references to ensure the latest edition of the standard is mentioned. In very few cases, an informational note intentionally refers to an older standard, but this is not the norm.

Product safety standards are constantly updated as the industry changes and new technologies emerge. With each revision to a safety standard, additional safety requirements are added or changed to include things that may not have been present in the previous edition of the standard.

UL 1598 for example is the Standard for Luminaires. The current version of UL 1598 dated March 6th, 2021 (5th edition) is very different than the original version (1st edition) that first appeared January 31st, 2000.

If a luminaire supplier has new old stock luminaires remaining on the shelves from the year 2000 that have never been sold, and sells them to an electrician today, the electrician might be preparing to install the luminaires on a new construction project adhering to the latest edition of the NEC®.

Section 410.6 of the NEC® requires luminaires to be listed (certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory such as UL). There are no informational notes under Section 410.6 referring to UL 1598. There is however a reference to UL 1598 (without a specified date or edition number) in Annex A. If the new old stock luminaires mentioned above were originally listed (certified) to UL 1598 based on the 1st edition back in the year 2000, it’s possible that this same luminaire might not be able to pass all required tests if subjected to the newer testing requirements in the latest edition of the same standard. This could create a conflict during the electrical inspection.

In the 2023 NEC®, unless the standard reference includes a date, the reference is to be considered as the latest edition of the standard.

Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2023 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.

2020 Code Language:

90.5(C) Explanatory Material. Explanatory material, such as references to other standards, references to related sections of this Code, or information related to a Code rule, is included in this Code in the form of informational notes. Such notes are informational only and are not enforceable as requirements of this Code.

2023 Code Language:

90.5(C) Explanatory Material. Explanatory material, such as references to other standards, references to related sections of this Code, or information related to a Code rule, is included in this Code in the form of informational notes or an informative annex. Unless the standard reference includes a date, the reference is to be considered as the latest edition of the standard. Such notes are informational only and are not enforceable as requirements of this Code.

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90.5(C) Explanatory Material.

Below is a Real Question from our Electrical Continuing Education Courses for Electrical License Renewal:

Based on the 2023 NEC, which of the following is true?

A: Informational notes are enforceable as requirements of the Code.
B: Unless the standard reference includes a date, the reference is to be considered as the latest edition of the standard.
C: Explanatory material is included in this Code in the form of footnotes.
D: Explanatory material is included in this Code in the form of headers.
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