The Importance of TIAs in the National Electrical Code (NEC) or NFPA 70

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The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) develops and maintains codes and standards that address fire and life safety issues. Within the NFPA codes and standards development process, a TIA, or Tentative Interim Amendment, is a tool used to correct an error or omission in the published code or standard, address an issue that has become a significant and urgent safety concern, or address an issue that can severely hinder the ability to comply with the provisions of the code or standard.

Specifically for the NFPA 70, which is the National Electrical Code (NEC), a TIA can be used to address and correct issues that may have been identified after the latest edition was published. These issues could range from typographical errors to more significant oversights that could impact electrical safety. A TIA is an expedited process, enabling quicker resolutions than waiting for the next revision cycle of the code.

For a TIA to be issued:

1. It must be of an emergency nature.
2. It should be used to correct an error or omission, address a previously unknown existing hazard, or offer a better way to address a known hazard.
3. It should not be used for routine revisions or to introduce new requirements unless necessary for safety.

Once a TIA is approved, it becomes effective between regular revision cycles and is included in any subsequent reprinting of the current edition of the code or standard. TIAs are also incorporated into the next edition of the document during its regular revision process.

Essentially, once a TIA is approved, it becomes effective for that edition of the code.