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Home / Technical Articles / Safety Clearance Recommendations for Electrical Panel
Safety Clearance Recommendations for Electrical Panel
Safety Clearance Recommendations for Electrical Panel

Clearance Tables

  1. Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 312.2)
  2. Clearance around an Indoor electrical panel (NEC 110.26)
  3. Clearance for Conductor Entering in Panel (NES 408.5)
  4. Clearance between Bare Metal Busbar in Panel (NES 408.5)
  5. Clearance of Outdoor electrical panel to Fence/Wall (NES 110.31)
  6. Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 110.34)
  7. Clearance around an Outdoor electrical panel (NES 110.31)
  8. Elevation of Unguarded Live Parts above Working Space (NES 110.34E)
  9. Working Space for Panel (Code Georgia Power Company)

Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 312.2)

VoltageExposed live parts to Not live parts (or grounded parts)Exposed live parts to Grounded parts (concrete/ brick/walls)Exposed live parts on both sides
Up to 150 V0.914 Meter (3 Ft)0.914 Meter (3 Ft)0.914 Meter (3 Ft)
150 V to 600 V0.914 Meter (3 Ft)1.07 Meter (3’6”)1.22 Meter (4 Ft)

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Clearance around an Indoor electrical panel (NES 110.26)

Description of ClearanceDistance (min)
Left to Right the minimum clearance0.9 Meter (3 Ft)
Distance between Panel and wall1.0 Meter
Distance between Panel and Ceiling0.9 Meter
Clear Height in front of Panel >480V2.0 Meter
Clear Height  in front of Panel <480V0.9 Meter (3 Ft)
Clearance When Facing Other Electrical Panels <480V0.9 Meter (3 Ft)
The width of the workingspace in front of the PanelThe width of Panel or 0.762 Meter which is Greater.
Headroom of working spaces for panel boards (Up to 200Amp)Up to 2 Meter
Headroom of working spaces for panel boards (More than 200Amp & Panel height is max 2 Meter)Up to 2 Meter (If Panel height is max 2 Meter)
Headroom of working spaces for panel boards (More than 200Amp & Panel height is more than 2 Meter)If Panel height is more than 2 Meter than clearance should not less than panel Height
Entrance For Panel (More than 1200 Amp and over 1.8 m Wide)One entrance required for working space (Not less than 610 mm wide and 2.0 m high)
Personal Door For Panel (More than 1200 Amp)Personnel door(s) intended for entrance to and egress from the working space less than 7.6 m from the nearest edge of the working space
Dedicated Electrical Space.Required Space is width and depth of the Panel and extending from the floor to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower
The door(s) shall open in the direction of egress and be equipped with panic bars, pressure plates, or other devices that are normally latched but open under simple pressure
The work space shall permit at least a 90 degree opening of equipment doors or hinged panels

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Clearance for Conductor Entering in Panel (NES 408.5)

Description of ClearanceDistance (min)
Spacing between The conduit or raceways (including their end fittings) and bottom of enclosureNot rise more than 75 mm (3 in) above the bottom of the enclosure
Spacing between bottom of enclosure and insulated busbars, their supports200 mm
Spacing between bottom of enclosure and non-insulated busbars200 mm

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Clearance between Bare Metal Busbar in Panel (NES 408.5)

VoltageOpposite Polarity Mounted on Same SurfaceOpposite Polarity Where Held Free in AirLive Parts to Ground
Up to 125 V19.1 mm12.7 mm12.7 mm
125 V to 250 V31.8 mm19.1 mm12.7 mm
250 V to 600 V50.8 mm25.4 mm25.4 mm

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Clearance of Outdoor electrical panel to Fence/Wall (NES 110.31)

VoltageDistance (min)
600 V to 13.8 KV3.05 Meter
13.8 KV to 230 KV4.57 Meter
Above 230 KV5.49 Meter

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Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 110.34)

VoltageExposed live parts to Not live parts (or grounded parts)Exposed live parts to Grounded parts (concrete/brick/ walls)Exposed live parts on both sides
601 V to 2.5 KV0.914 Meter (3 Ft)1.2 Meter (4 Ft)1.5 Meter (5 Ft)
2.5 KV to 9.0 KV1.2 Meter (4 Ft)1.5 Meter (5 Ft)1.8 Meter (6 Ft)
9.0 KV to 25 KV1.5 Meter (5 Ft)1.8 Meter (6 Ft)2.5 Meter (8 Ft)
25 KV to 75 KV1.8 Meter (6 Ft)2.5 Meter (8 Ft)3.0 Meter (10 Ft)
Above 75 KV2.5 Meter (8 Ft)3.0 Meter (10 Ft)3.7 Meter (12 Ft)

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Clearance around an Outdoor electrical panel (NES 110.31)

Description of ClearanceDistance (min)
Clear work spaceNot less than 2.0 Meter high (Measured vertically from the floor or platform) or not less than 914 mm (3 ft) wide (Measured parallel to the equipment)
Entrance For Panel(More than 1200 Amp and over 1.8 m Wide)One entrance required for working space (Not less than 610 mm wide and 2.0 m high)
Entrance For Panel: On Large panels exceeding 1.8 Meter in widthOne Entrance at each end of the equipment.
Non-metallic or Metal-enclosed Panel in general public and the bottom of the enclosure is less than 2.5 m (8 ft) above the floor or grade levelEnclosure door or hinged cover shall be kept locked

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Elevation of Unguarded Live Parts above Working Space (NES 110.34E)

VoltageElevation (min)
600 V to 7.5 KV2.8 Meter
7.5 KV to 35 KV2.9 Meter
Above 35 KV2.9 Meter + 9.5 mm/KV

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Working Space for Panel (Code Georgia Power Company)

VoltageExposed live parts to Not live parts (or grounded parts)Exposed live parts to Grounded parts (concrete/brick/walls)Exposed live parts on both sides
Up to 150 V3.0 Meter3.0 Meter3.0 Meter
150 V to 600 V3.0 Meter3.5 Meter4.0 Meter
600 V to 2.5 KV3.0 Meter4.0 Meter5.0 Meter
2.5 KV to 9 KV3.0 Meter4.0 Meter6.0 Meter
9 KV to 25 KV5.0 Meter6.0 Meter6.0 Meter

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*** NES – National environmental standards for electricity transmission activities

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Jignesh Parmar

Jignesh Parmar has completed M.Tech (Power System Control), B.E (Electrical). He is member of Institution of Engineers (MIE), India. He has more than 20 years experience in transmission & distribution-energy theft detection and maintenance electrical projects.

17 Comments


  1. Derek Stafford
    May 01, 2022

    I am building an electrical room for my towercranes with 480 v supply. Can I have a glass window in the entry door next to the operator cabin so the operator can see into it ??


  2. Therasa Belets
    Feb 01, 2021

    Is it safe to have a bedroom near an electrical panel? How can you protect people sleeping near one? The panel is separated from the rest of the living space by a wall. Can the wall be reinforced to provide more protection from EMF etc.?
    Thank you


  3. Anil
    Oct 22, 2020

    What is the standard for fixing height of MCCB with rotary handle, on the electrical control cabinet


  4. Kiritsinh Chauhan
    Oct 15, 2020

    I want to know about clearance between HT panel and LT panel side by side and front to front. Also want to know clearance between two LT panel.
    Thanks


  5. VISHWAS
    Oct 05, 2020

    any one having Mr. parmar contact number


  6. jagdish hardasani
    Jun 20, 2020

    do we rquire to place rubber mat in front of 440v electrical panel


  7. Raja Lakshmanan
    Jan 10, 2020

    Very Useful data in a single platform for electrical engineers


  8. Blake Bates
    Nov 12, 2019

    Does an exterior service entrance panel need a gap/drainage plain behind it to allow water to travel freely behind it and keep it off the panel. If so how large is the gap, and can you provide me with a source. Thank You


  9. ritesh srivastava
    Mar 05, 2019

    is there any maximum distance between DG Set & control Panel.


  10. Ankit
    Feb 21, 2018

    W many distance required X-mer to panel(450v) ??


  11. sandeep
    Dec 08, 2017

    your all content is taken form electrical notes.wordpress.com.


  12. YOGESH KULKARNI
    Mar 03, 2016

    Dear Sir,
    Please guide me regarding incomer selection for the LV MCC Panel.It has to be done based on the BKW rating or the actaul connected load.?


  13. Cherry Gupta
    Jan 25, 2016

    Hello JP: Thanks for all the data above. Two comments:
    a. I believe NEC is been incorrectly mentioned as NES in the above article
    b. Some of the values need to be reaffirmed with respect to the latest NEC 2014. For eg, from Clearance for Conductor Entering in Panel (NES 408.5), the value for Noninsulated busbars is 250mm and not 200mm. Please add a disclaimer and ask the reader to refer to the latest version of NEC


  14. tutut
    Jan 12, 2015

    is this international standard?
    because I works in environmental, health and safety field…and some issues are related with electrical…thank you.


  15. amgad
    Jan 28, 2014

    I would like to thank you for the interesting and good articles that you share each day. It would be very helpful to give the option to download these articles
    Thanks
    Amgad


  16. rhiren
    Oct 16, 2012

    dear sir,
    i am working with essar at last four year as a HT power distribution engineer , i have to know about thermography inspection in HT & LT SWBD

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