NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance

NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, details preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment—such as industrial plants, institutional and commercial buildings, and large multifamily residential complexes.

When used continually, NFPA 70B helps users develop and carry out an effective Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP) that addresses electrical equipment and systems, which helps prevent equipment failures and employee incidents. All this, while establishing a “condition of maintenance” for equipment that is required to be compliant when assessing risk in accordance with NFPA 70E^®, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace^®.

The latest updates to NFPA 70B include:

• Improved consistency between chapters, tables, and terminology.
• The potential failure–functional failure (P–F) curve method has been included to determine maximum equipment maintenance intervals.
• A new requirement addresses the need to establish a timeline to avoid delays in conducting necessary equipment repairs or corrections.
• Added details or clarifications to most tasks on inspection and testing tables in equipment chapters.
• A new Chapter 39 on transfer switches has been added.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Administration

1.1 Scope.
1.2 Purpose.
1.3 Application.
1.4 Equivalency.
1.5 Units of Measurement.

Chapter 2 Referenced Publications

2.1 General.
2.2 NFPA Publications.
2.3 Other Publications.
2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.

Chapter 3 Definitions

3.1 General.
3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
3.3 General Definitions.

Chapter 4 General

4.1 General Requirements.
4.2 Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP).
4.3 Personnel.
4.4 Survey and Analysis.
4.5 Planned Inspections.
4.6 Acceptance Test Report.
4.7 Impact of Additions/Rework to Retrofitting Equipment.
4.8 Equipment Cleaning.

Chapter 5 Personnel Safety

5.1 Introduction.

Chapter 6 Single-Line Diagrams and System Studies

6.1 Introduction.
6.2 Single-Line Diagrams.
6.3 Short-Circuit Studies.
6.4 Coordination Studies.
6.5 Load-Flow Studies.
6.6 Reliability Studies.
6.7 Incident Energy Analysis (Arc-Flash Study).
6.8 Electrical Maintenance-Related Design.

Chapter 7 Fundamental Tests

7.1 Fundamental Tests.
7.2 Bolted Bus Connections, Conductor Terminations, and Conductor Connectors.
7.3 Insulation Resistance Quality.
7.4 Infrared Thermography.

Chapter 8 Field Testing and Test Methods

8.1 Introduction.
8.2 Risk Assessment Special Considerations.
8.3 Testing Category Types.
8.4 Test Equipment and Tools.
8.5 Test Record.
8.6 Condition of Maintenance.

Chapter 9 Maintenance Intervals

9.1 Scope.
9.2 Equipment Condition Assessment.
9.3 Frequency of Maintenance.
9.4 Scheduling Repairs to Correct Defects.

Chapter 10 Hazardous (Classified) Location Electrical Equipment

10.1 Scope.
10.2 General.
10.3 Maintenance Personnel for Hazardous (Classified) Locations.
10.4 Elimination of Hazardous Atmospheres.
10.5 Elimination of Ignition Sources.
10.6 Equipment Reassembly.
10.7 Conduit and Equipment Seals.
10.8 Bolts and Screws.
10.9 Handling of Equipment, Components, and Tools.
10.10 Field Modifications.

Chapter 11 Power and Distribution Transformers

11.1 Scope.
11.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
11.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 12 Substations and Switchgear

12.1 Scope.
12.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
12.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 13 Panelboards and Switchboards

13.1 Scope.
13.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
13.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 14 Busways

14.1 Scope.
14.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
14.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 15 Circuit Breakers, Low- and Medium-Voltage

15.1 Scope.
15.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
15.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures for Low-Voltage Power Circuit (LVPCB), Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), and Insulated Case Circuit Breakers (ICCB).
15.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures for Medium-Voltage Power Circuit Breakers.

Chapter 16 Fuses

16.1 Scope.
16.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
16.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 17 Switches

17.1 Scope.
17.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
17.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 18 Power Cables and Conductors

18.1 Scope.
18.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
18.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 19 Cable Tray

19.1 Scope.
19.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
19.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 20 Grounding and Bonding

20.1 Scope.
20.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
20.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedure.

Chapter 21 Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters and Ground-Fault Protection of Equipment Systems

21.1 Scope.
21.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
21.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 22 Lighting

22.1 Scope.
22.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
22.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 23 Lighting Control Systems (Reserved)

Chapter 24 Wiring Devices

24.1 Scope.
24.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
24.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 25 Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

25.1 Scope.
25.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
25.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 26 Electronic Equipment (Reserved)

Chapter 27 Rotating Equipment

27.1 Scope.
27.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
27.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 28 Motor Control Equipment

28.1 Scope.
28.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
28.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 29 Portable Electrical Tools and Equipment

29.1 Scope.
29.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
29.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 30 Photovoltaic Systems

30.1 Scope.
30.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
30.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
30.4 Documentation and Labeling.

Chapter 31 Wind Power Electric Systems and Associated Equipment

31.1 Scope.
31.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
31.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 32 Battery Energy Storage Systems

32.1 Scope.
32.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
32.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
32.4 Documentation.

Chapter 33 Electric Vehicle Power Transfer Systems and Associated Equipment

33.1 Scope.
33.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
33.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
33.4 Documentation.

Chapter 34 Public Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations

34.1 Scope.
34.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
34.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 35 Protective Relays

35.1 Scope.
35.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
35.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 36 Stationary Standby Batteries

36.1 Scope.
36.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
36.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
36.4 Documentation.

Chapter 37 Instrument Transformers (Reserved)

Chapter 38 Control Power Transformers (Reserved)

Chapter 39 Transfer Switch Equipment

39.1 Scope.
39.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
39.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex B Suggestions for Inclusion in a Walk-Through Inspection Checklist
Annex C Symbols
Annex D Diagrams
Annex E Forms
Annex F NEMA Configurations
Annex G Primary Contact Matrix
Annex H Equipment Storage and Maintenance During Construction
Annex I Reliability Centered Maintenance
Annex J Power Quality
Annex K Electrical Disaster Recovery
Annex L Case Histories

2026 (9781455932498)

2023 (9781455929719)

2019 (9781455922031)

2016 (9781455913022)

2013 (NFPA70B-13)

2010 (NFPA70B-10)