Rule-making notices
Notice of Hearings
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to ss.
101.02 (1),
101.63 (1),
101.73 (1) and
101.82, Stats., the Department of Commerce will hold public hearings on proposed rules revising Ch.
Comm 16, relating to electrical construction.
The public hearings will be held as follows:
Thursday, June 27, 2002 @ 10:00 a.m.
Room BO213, Business Building
Waukesha County Technical College
800 Main Street
Pewaukee
Friday, June 28, 2002 @ 10:00 a.m.
Room 3B, Thompson Commerce Center
201 West Washington Avenue
Madison
Tuesday, July 2, 2002 @ 11:00 a.m.
Room 105, Eau Claire State Office Building
718 West Clairemont Avenue
Eau Claire
Interested persons are invited to appear at the hearings and present comments on the proposed rules. Persons making oral presentations are requested to submit their comments in writing. Persons submitting comments will not receive individual responses. The hearing record on this proposed rulemaking will remain open until July 12, 2002, to permit submittal of written comments from persons who are unable to attend a hearing or who wish to supplement testimony offered at a hearing. Written comments should be submitted to Ronald Acker, Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 2689, Madison, WI 53701-2689.
These hearings are held in accessible facilities. If you have special needs or circumstances that may make communication or accessibility difficult at the hearing, please call (608) 266-8741 or (608) 264-8777 (TTY) at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Accommodations such as interpreters, English translators, or materials in audio tape format will, to the fullest extent possible, be made available upon request by a person with a disability.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Commerce
Chapter
Comm 16, Electrical Code, establishes safety and health requirements for the installation of electrical wiring, communication systems and electrical equipment in places of employment, public buildings, dwellings and other premises such as carnivals, parking lots, mines, trenches, mobile homes and recreational vehicles. The chapter incorporates by reference the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard NFPA 70 - National Electrical Code (NEC). In addition, the chapter includes amendments that clarify or supplement the electrical standards contained in the NEC. Chapter
Comm 16 also establishes rules for the electrical inspection of farms, public buildings and places of employment.
The proposed rules consist of an update of ch.
Comm 16, including the incorporation by reference of the 2002 edition of the NEC. The proposed rules do not contain any revisions to the current rules for the electrical inspection of farms, public buildings and places of employment.
The following is a summary of the major changes in the proposed rules. [The numbers in brackets indicate where the rule change can be found in the rule draft.]
1. Deleting several Wisconsin amendments to the NEC as a result of changes in the 2002 edition of the NEC. For example, because of changes in NEC 300.7 (A) of the 2002 NEC relating to sealing of raceways exposed to different temperatures, s.
Comm 16.295 is being deleted.
2. Revising the rules relating to the application of the code by clarifying the requirements relating to existing installations and by adding requirements for repairs. [ss.
Comm 16.03 (3) and
(4)]
3. Adding a requirement in dwelling units for installation of GFCI protection at sinks where receptacles are installed to serve countertop surfaces and are located within 6 feet of the sink. [s.
Comm 16.20 (1)]
4. Adding requirements in other than dwelling units for installation of GFCI protection at outdoor receptacles and at sinks where receptacles are installed to serve countertop surfaces and are located within 6 feet of the sink. [s.
Comm 16.20 (2)]
5. Allowing the option of engineering supervision when calculating branch-circuit, feeder and service sizes. [s.
Comm 16.23]
6. Revising the supplemental electrode rule by requiring 2 supplemental made electrodes for all installations, not just for one- and 2-family dwellings. [s.
Comm 16.26 (2)]
7. Adding a requirement for a supplemental equipment grounding conductor for a metallic raceway installed in direct contact with earth, in concrete slabs or floors poured on earth, or in exterior concrete walls below grade. [s.
Comm 16.275]
8. Deleting the NEC requirement for a warning ribbon to identify the location of underground service conductors that are not encased in concrete. [s.
Comm 16.294]
9. Adding a clarification for who is a qualified person to monitor and service a transformer installation over 600 volts. [s.
Comm 16.39 (1)]
10. Deleting the NEC exception allowing mechanical ventilation to be used to exempt the area up to 18 inches above the floor from being classified a hazardous area in commercial garages. [s.
Comm 16.392]
11. Adding a requirement for a service disconnecting means with overcurrent protection at the service point for electrically driven or controlled irrigation machines. [s.
Comm 16.438]
12. Adding a new rule to clarify that a person can request the Department to perform an electrical plan review. [s.
Comm 16.52]
The proposed rules have been developed with the assistance of the Electrical Code Advisory Council. The members of that citizen advisory council are as follows:
Name Representing
Terry Fameree Intern'l Assn. of Electrical Inspectors
David Hansen Dept of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer
Protection
Ronald L. Jahnke NECA, Wisconsin Chapter
Ronald Janikowski Intern'l Assn of Electrical Inspectors
Charles L. Johansen Wisconsin Builders Association
James D. Loock Wisconsin Public Service Commission
Richard Lynes Assoc. Builders & Contractors of WI
Ronald E. Maassen NECA, Milwaukee Chapter
Robert Molde Wisconsin Utilities Association
Ken Peterson WI Electric Cooperative Association
Paul Welnak Wisconsin State AFL-CIO
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
1. Types of small businesses that will be affected by the rules.
Any business involved with the installation of electrical wiring, communication systems or electrical equipment will be affected by the rules.
2. Reporting, bookkeeping and other procedures required for compliance with the rules.
There are no reporting, bookkeeping or other procedures required for compliance with the rules.
