Certified Master Electrical Code Professional Program

Introducing Electrical Code Academy's Certified Master Electrical Code Professional ™ (CMECP™) program and the differences in licensing versus certification.

The term certification is often used as a catch-all term for several different activities that apply to the credentialing of individuals and institutions in the electrical profession. The lack of clarity in this definition has resulted in confusion when it comes to discussing credentials.

Certification is essentially the process of publicly attesting that a specified quality or standard has been achieved or exceeded. We see this in an informal way all around us nearly every day. For example, when a product has the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, it means that the item has been attested to meet the standard set for it. Whenever we make a recommendation or referral to a colleague or client we are informally certifying the competence of the person or the quality of the item being recommended.

Professional certification uses a formal process to identify and acknowledge individuals who have met a recognized standard, such as the Certified Master Electrical Code Professional program. Usually this standard includes education, experience, and an exam of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to obtain the professional designation. When an individual meets the standard, he or she receives certification from a certifying agency, such as the Electrical Code Academy, Inc. CMECP™ Advisory Board. Generally, this standard involves the qualification requirements to take the exam, whether the exam meets accepted standards for exam development, how the exam is given and scored, how the agency is administered, and whether its rules are fair.

Professional certification is a voluntary process by which a non-governmental professional organization grants recognition to an individual who has met certain strict qualifications. It is a credential which attests that the individual has demonstrated a certain level of mastery of a specific body of knowledge and skills within the relevant field of practice, such as the National Electrical Code®. Certification should not be confused with either licensing or accreditation. While each involves some type of evaluation and the awarding of some type of credential, they are quite different from one another and the terms should not be used interchangeably.

Licensing is a non-voluntary process by which an agency of government regulates a profession. It grants permission to an individual to engage in an occupation if it finds that the applicant has attained the degree of competency required to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare will be reasonably protected. Licensing it always based on the action of a legislative body. Once a licensing law has been passed it becomes illegal for anyone to engage in that occupation unless he or she has a license. The CMECP™ designation is not a license but a certification and should not be construed as licensing.

Certification differs from licensing in that it is nearly always offered by a private, non-governmental agency or corporation. Such agencies or corporations create certifying agencies to identify and acknowledge those who have met a specific standard of excellence. Another contrast with licensure is that, under a licensing law, practitioners of the licensed occupation must have a license in order to practice. It is involuntary. On the other hand, certification is 100% voluntary. One does not have to be certified in order to practice. An individual takes the certification exam because they want to enjoy the benefits of certification. However, to use the title and initials copyrighted and associated with the professional certification, one must be certified.

Accreditation is a non-governmental, voluntary process that evaluates institutions, agencies, and educational programs, (i.e., institutions that grant certificates or diplomas) while certification and licensing involves individual practitioners. Accreditation is defined as the process whereby an agency or association grants public recognition to a school, institute, college, university, or specialized program of study for having met certain established qualifications or standards as determined through initial and periodic evaluations that usually involve submitting a self-evaluation report, site inspection by a team of experts, and evaluation by an independent board or commission.

The Certified Master Electrical Code Professional [CMECP™] certification was founded by Electrical Code Academy, Inc., a Texas Corporation, to facilitate a higher degree of professionalism and code of ethics to the master electrical code professional. The overall goals of the certification program is to help foster and acknowledge an advanced level of knowledge, training and commitment to the understanding, development, interpretation and implementation of the National Electrical Code® by licensed Master Electricians.

The certification process for becoming a CMECP™ is a rigorous journey. The candidate must pass (1) prerequisite course on Electrical Exam Prep Review in order to solidify their understanding of the National Electrical Code® and (1) prerequisite continuing education course for the state where their Master Electrician license is registered. Once completed the candidate is required to attend a 6 hour "Navigating The NEC" webinar where they will learn all the in's and out's of the National Electrical Code® by current and former NFPA70® (NEC®) Code Making Panel members. Upon completion of the mandatory webinar the candidate will be required to take a written exam with a passing score of 80%.

Candidates that make it to the last stage of the certification process will be invited to a video conference call attended by 5 members of the CMECP™ Candidate Review Board. Each member of the review board will ask the candidate a National Electrical Code® question to which the candidate must respond, this is an open book interview. If the question is answered to the satisfaction of the board member the candidate will move to the next member of the board for a subsequent question. The candidate will only need to satisfy 2/3rd of the panel to compete the final phase and earn the designation of CMECP™.

In conclusion, The CMECP™ program is the only one of it's kind dedicated to the National Electrical Code® and Master Electricians. The unique 5-step approval process will without a doubt be the hardest approval process any Master Electrician will ever face. The Master Electrician who earns the designation of CMECP™ can hold their head up high with pride knowing that they are part of a unique group of professional Master Electricians who took their game to the next level and became a true Certified Master Electrical Code Professional™.

For more information on the CMECP™ program please visit www.MasterTheNEC.com

Paul W Abernathy, CMI, CMECP™

NEC®, NFPA®, NFPA70®, National Electrical Code® are all registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association. These terms are used for educational purposes only and in no way imply that Electrical Code Academy, Inc. or the CMECP™ program is part of or affiliated with or endorsed by the NFPA.

Type MC Cable in Environmental Air Spaces per 2017 NEC 300.22(C)

Is Metal-Clad Cable “Plenum” Rated?

NEC Section 300.21 provides clarification to the intend of why the concern about ratings of raceways or cables assemblies for electrical installations in hollow spaces, vertical shafts, and ventilation or air-handling ducts be made so the possible spread of fire or products of combustion, such as smoke, will not be substantially increased. Even before we can begin to determine the various wiring methods that can be utilized in ducts, plenums, or other air-handling spaces, it is critical to fully understand the terminology used when dealing with air-handing systems.

An air distribution system is defined as a continuous passageway for the transmission of air. This distribution system can consist of air ducts, air connectors, duct fittings, dampers, plenums, fans, and accessory air-handling equipment. An air duct is defined as a conduit for conveying air. Environmental air is air that is supplied, returned, re-circulated, or exhausted from spaces for the purpose of modifying the existing atmosphere within the building. A plenum is defined in NFPA 90A as a compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected that form part of the closed air distribution system. A plenum cannot be used as an occupied space or for storage of any materials. Article 100 of the NEC provides the same definition for plenum as that found in NFPA 90A.

The word “plenum” in the NEC is used to describe both an air space and also various types of wiring methods that are specifically designed and tested for installation within these areas. Section 300.22(A) of the NEC provides information on the installation and uses of electrical wiring and equipment in ducts that are used to transport dust, loose stock, or flammable vapors. These ducts can be used for vapor removal or for ventilation of commercial-type cooking equipment as referenced in the section. These ducts can be connected into a larger vertical or horizontal shaft or can be installed as a single duct without a shaft connection. No wiring or electrical equipment can be installed in these ducts. Ironically, lighting luminaries are permitted in the commercial cooking hood where they meet all of the conditions stated in Section 410.10(C).

Section 300.22(B) provides requirements for ducts or plenums “specifically fabricated for environmental air”. These ducts or plenums, such as metal or fiberglass ducts, pre-constructed or assembled on-site are again dedicated to those specifically fabricated to transport environmental air in a closed system with ducted supply and return ducts. Under section 300.22(B) the wiring methods permitted are Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC), Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC), Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT), Mineral Insulated cable (MI cable), and Metal-Clad Cable (Type MC cable) employing a smooth or corrugated impervious metal sheath without a nonmetallic covering can be used for wiring within these fabricated ducts or plenums.

Electrical equipment and devices are permitted within these ducts or chambers only if they are needed for the direct action on or sensing of the air contained within the duct. Flexible metal conduit (Type FMC) can be used within fabricated ducts to connect adjustable equipment and similar devices but are limited to (4) four feet. If illumination is required inside the fabricated duct to assist in maintenance and repair of equipment located within the duct, an enclosed and gasketed fixture must be used. This would restrict standard interlocked type Metal-Clad Cable in these “specifically fabricated environmental ducts.

However, an exception was added in the 2017 NEC to permit any of the wiring methods found in 300.22(C)(1), such as Interlocked type Metal-Clad Cable for use inside of a “specifically fabricated environmental duct” where necessary to supply equipment or a device located inside the duct that has a direct action upon or sensing of the contained air. This exception also limits the total length of the wiring method or cable assembly to not more than (4) four feet. It is important to not get confused by this exception. Interlocked Metal-Clad Cable is only allowed if a specifically fabricated duct “Plenum” to supply items such as smoke alarm, airflow sensor, or other listed equipment installed inside the fabricated duct.

Now lets examine section 300.22(C) as this is where things change for Interlocked Metal-Clad Cable (Type MC Cable). An “other space used for environmental air” covered in section 300.22(C) is one that is not specifically fabricated for environmental air but is used for transportation of either supply or return air. For example, the space over a dropped or suspended ceiling is a typical “other space.” The same wiring methods can be used in these “other spaces” as used in fabricated ducts, with the addition of Armored Cable (Type AC cable) and Metal-Clad Cable (Type MC cable) of the interlocked style, and totally enclosed, non-ventilated, insulated busway without provisions for plug-in connections. Factory-assembled multiconductor control or power cable specifically listed for use in these other spaces can be used. Surface metal raceways or metal wireways can also be used. In an “other space for environmental air,” liquidtight flexible metal conduit is permitted in single lengths of 6 feet or less.

In summary, it is important to know that while Interlocked Metal-Clad Cable, without any PVC jacketing, is not technically “Plenum” rated it is perfectly acceptable to be located in an environmental air space, such as the space above a suspended to dropped ceiling in accordance with National Electrical Code section 300.22(C).

Attached is an image that clarifies the spaces mentioned in this article. Location “A” depicts the Environmental Air Space (plenum) where the circulation system is pulling air from the room into the hollow space above a ceiling. The “air” is from the environment. Location “B” is the enclosed portion of the system that is considered the “plenum” space. Location “A” is covered by 300.22(C) and “B” is covered by 300.22(B) which aligns itself with ducts that are fabricated for environmental air.

Paul W Abernathy, CMI, CMECP

National Electrical Code, NFPA or NEC are Registered Trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association and are used in this article for educational purposes only.