Application of NEC 708 philosophies to a centralized data switching site

Article 708 was added to the NEC based on needs expressed by the federal government for standards that could strengthen homeland security. Article 708 was directed by the NEC's Technical Correlating Committee Task Group on Emergency and Standby Power Systems for Homeland Security and created by Code-Making Panel 20. Historically, the NEC has been primarily focused on the installation of electrical equipment with an emphasis on fire safety. Article 708 significantly extends that scope to also include operations, monitoring, control, and maintenance of the on-site power system for “Designated Critical Operation Areas” (DCOA). This paper will explore an NEC 708 implementation philosophy as it would apply to centralized data switching site and focus on key risk elements that need to be addressed in design, operation, and maintenance.