NFPA 79: Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery, 2018 Edition

NFPA 79: Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery

So, the NFPA 79, the 2018 version anyway, is basically the main electrical safety rulebook in the US for factory machines. It deals with all the electrical and electronic bits that run on less than 1000 volts. The main point is to keep people and the equipment safe. It’s also pretty much in sync with international standards, like the IEC 60204-1. A big change in this edition is that they’re now requiring Surge Protective Devices, or SPDs, for safety circuits. It came out in late 2017 and is a must-have for anyone making or using these machines. It lays out all the rules for how to wire things up, connect to ground, what colors to use for wires (like black for regular AC power and red for AC control circuits), and what safety features are needed to avoid electrical dangers in factories.

Key Aspects of NFPA 79 (2018 Edition):

Safety Focus: Protects operators, equipment, facilities, and work-in-progress by addressing overcurrent, cabling, safety circuits, and surge protection.

Major Change: Mandated the use of UL Listed SPDs for safety interlock circuits to guard against voltage surges.

Harmonization: Aligns U.S. standards with European IEC 60204-1 for global manufacturing.

Content: Covers everything from conductor identification (black for ungrounded AC, red for AC control, blue for DC) to grounding, bonding, and documentation.