The National Electrical Manufacturers
Association Field Representatives Program promotes the use and
adoption of the National Electrical Code and monitors
regional developments of importance to the electrical
manufacturing industry. Electrical inspectors can rely on the
field representatives’ expertise to interpret how the Code applies to specific installations and to provide a direct link
to manufacturers, which is critical to getting quick
resolution on installation-related issues. Philip Cox, retired
IAEI chief executive officer and executive director, as well
as a former NEMA field representative, said one of the best
attributes of the field representative is the ability to
resolve problems between manufacturers and electrical
inspectors.
"If an inspector has difficulty with a
company, the field representative knows exactly how to address
the problem and can get both parties together to work it
out," said Cox. "Field representatives add value by
being able to recognize a problem before it occurs. The field
representatives’ contribution to the association and the
industry is immeasurable in dollars. Their work in the field
often goes unseen."
By participating in the meetings of code
enforcement officials (electrical and building), as well as
those of other organizations, field representatives can
establish lines of communications between stakeholders and
clarify policies and practices related to the installation of
electrical equipment. Their knowledge of installation
requirements and familiarity with the players involved puts
them in an ideal position to advocate for adoption of NEC by local and state jurisdictions.
"The representatives attend the
code-making sessions to evaluate whether the codes will affect
NEMA members and provide unbiased reports to NEMA," said
Cox. "Because the representatives are former inspectors,
their experience with the Code enables them to provide
well-rounded answers, give suggestions on language, and review
proposals. They have a very supportive role in the code-making
process."
In addition to their involvement with the NEC,
field representatives track the progress of state and local
laws and regulations bearing on energy use, the environment,
and product certification. They take action when necessary. In
2003, for example, the Texas legislature adopted the
Electrician’s Occupations Code, requiring the licensing of
all electrical workers with one exemption, i.e., "work
involved in the manufacture of electrical equipment."
Regulatory and enforcement staff of the Texas Department of
Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) interpreted this to mean that
"in the field work" would require the licensing of
anyone working on, repairing, retrofitting, or performing
maintenance on electrical equipment. This would require, in
turn, that electrical equipment manufacturers be registered
with the state as electrical contractors and employ at least
one licensed master level electrician who would be responsible
for all installations. More importantly, manufacturer
technicians working on such equipment would be required to be
registered at least as an apprentice electrician, thus
virtually eliminating short time turnaround on warranty
repairs.
NEMA’s Southern Field Office
representative and several manufacturers provided public
testimony against this definition, contending that it would
prevent electrical manufacturers from performing work
traditionally done prior to the enactment of the mandatory
statewide licensing law. Even though the advisory board
subsequently removed certain words from the definition, the
coalition was determined to gain a clear exemption for
electrical manufacturers and launched an ambitious lobbying
campaign.
The result? Swayed by the convincing
argument of the coalition, the TDLR adopted an amendment to
the Texas Administrative Code that continues to protect the
citizens of Texas from unsafe electrical installations without
upsetting decades old electrical industry practices. Had the
coalition not been successful, manufacturers would have had to
comply with the Texas electrician’s licensing law or would
have had to completely change their business models and
practices, proven safe and successful for many decades.
In another case, the Northeast field
representative, working on behalf of NEMA’s Personnel
Protection section, lobbied Massachusetts’ officials to
withdraw a proposed amendment to the NEC on replacement
receptacles. The Board of Fire Prevention Regulations
ultimately voted to withdraw the amendment, which would have
provided an exemption to the requirement for ground-fault
circuit interrupters in certain circumstances.
The West Coast field representative worked
to defeat California legislation that would restrict the
installation of conduit for fire alarm systems by fire alarm
installers. The Midwest office helped defeat Colorado
legislation that would have overturned the adoption of the
2002 NEC. Field representative testimony, along with
that of others, resulted in the state maintaining existing
laws, requiring the adoption of the current NEC every
three years.
IAEI benefits from NEMA’s field
representative program as well. IAEI often calls on the NEMA
field representatives to conduct workshops and technical
presentations to educate professionals from the inspection and
installation industry.
"The importance of the field
representative program to IAEI is that they provide a liaison
between the enforcing agencies and manufacturers. The better
informed the enforcer is about the products, the better he can
enforce code rules," said Cox. "While at IAEI, one
of my major goals was to help manufacturers understand the
inspector obligation to enforce the code, their dedication to
safety, and to ensure safe installation of products, according
to the Code. I also wanted the inspector to understand
the role of the manufacturer in the development and production
of materials and products and the problems they face.
Inspectors must be aware that the manufacturer has constraints
and cannot change things on the spur of the moment and that
good justification should exist before a change is required.
The field representatives create a relationship of trust
between the manufacturer and the inspector. The enforcing
agencies can rely on NEMA for good information and support.
NEMA members are proud of their products and they can depend
on the field representative program to help them continue to
produce quality products that are safe and effective to the
consumer."
For more information on NEMA’s Field
Representative Program, please visit http://www.nema.org/stds/fieldreps/
or contact Vince Baclawski, (703) 841-3236 or vin_baclawski@nema.org .
Cheryl D. Smith is public relations
specialist with the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA). Smith manages media and public
relations activities, serves as an information source to
membership, as well as the federal, public, and private
sectors, and is a contributing editor for NEMA’s award
winning monthly magazine electroindustry (ei). Prior to
joining NEMA, she worked for 14 years as a
communications professional for the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI). Smith holds a B.S. degree in
communications and journalism from the University of
Maryland University College, and is a member of the
Society of National Association Publications (SNAP). |
