NFPA 70B
Meeting the Standard.
What You Need to Know About the NFPA 70B Electrical Maintenance Standard.
What Is NFPA 70B?
NFPA 70B is the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for electrical equipment maintenance. It provides detailed guidelines on Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP) governance, detailing how facilities should inspect, test, and maintain electrical equipment to reduce the risk of failure, fire, and downtime.
Until recently, NFPA 70B was considered a recommended practice. But as of 2023, it has been elevated to a standard, meaning it now represents the baseline expectation for safe and reliable electrical equipment maintenance. And while 70B is not a law, its growing adoption as a standard used by insurers has made it a critical consideration for many facilities.
In short, NFPA 70B sets the framework for a proactive, preventative maintenance program—helping companies protect their people, assets, and bottom line.
What the NFPA 70B Standard Can Help Prevent.
Unplanned downtime
Bringing production or operations to a sudden halt. Even short outages can ripple through supply chains and lead to missed deadlines or lost revenue.
Electrical fires & safety incidents
Putting both employees and equipment at risk. These events not only endanger lives but can also trigger costly regulatory issues.
Insurance complications
Can possibly lead to higher premiums or stricter terms. Carriers increasingly look for documented maintenance practices before offering favorable policies.
Costly
emergency repairs
Straining budgets with avoidable expenses. Reactive fixes nearly always cost more than scheduled service, both in money and disruption.
Sustainability
goals
Bolster sustainability efforts with continuous monitoring. Can help optimize your energy use and reduce your facility’s carbon footprint over time.
Who Benefits from NFPA 70B?
Almost any organization that relies on electrical equipment can benefit—but the impact is especially strong for:
- Manufacturing companies where uptime and safety directly affect profitability.
- Commercial property managers that need predictable budgets and tenant confidence.
- Healthcare and institutional facilities where equipment reliability is critical.
- Municipal and industrial facilities where downtime or accidents can disrupt essential services.
For these groups, implementing NFPA 70B isn’t just about conforming to standards, it’s about protecting people, equipment, and profits.
Download Our Free
NFPA 70B Readiness Checklist.
To help companies take the first step, we’ve created a practical checklist that breaks down the NFPA 70B requirements into clear, actionable steps.
This checklist will help you:
- Identify which of your electrical assets are in scope
- Establish a baseline for preventative maintenance
- Build a schedule for inspections and testing
- Document 70B alignment for insurers and regulators
Whether you’re just beginning to explore NFPA 70B or you want to validate that your program is on track, this checklist will help give you a roadmap.
We Can Help.
At Custom Electric, we implement and execute full-scale NFPA 70B preventative maintenance programs for our customers. With all the tools, resources, and expertise, we pride ourselves on saving our customers time and money in their operations, so they can focus on building their business.
If you'd like to speak with us about bringing the NFPA 70B standard into your facility, please fill out the form and one of our professionals will reach out to you shortly. Thank you!
Custom Electric & Communications
407 Daniel Webster Highway
Merrimack, NH 03054
603.424.7557
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407 Daniel Webster Highway
Merrimack, NH 03054
603.424.7557
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