Safety Clearance Recommendations for Electrical Panel
Clearance Tables
- Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 312.2)
- Clearance around an Indoor electrical panel (NEC 110.26)
- Clearance for Conductor Entering in Panel (NES 408.5)
- Clearance between Bare Metal Busbar in Panel (NES 408.5)
- Clearance of Outdoor electrical panel to Fence/Wall (NES 110.31)
- Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 110.34)
- Clearance around an Outdoor electrical panel (NES 110.31)
- Elevation of Unguarded Live Parts above Working Space (NES 110.34E)
- Working Space for Panel (Code Georgia Power Company)
Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 312.2)
| Voltage | Exposed 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 V | 0.914 Meter (3 Ft) | 0.914 Meter (3 Ft) | 0.914 Meter (3 Ft) |
| 150 V to 600 V | 0.914 Meter (3 Ft) | 1.07 Meter (3’6”) | 1.22 Meter (4 Ft) |
Clearance around an Indoor electrical panel (NES 110.26)
| Description of Clearance | Distance (min) |
| Left to Right the minimum clearance | 0.9 Meter (3 Ft) |
| Distance between Panel and wall | 1.0 Meter |
| Distance between Panel and Ceiling | 0.9 Meter |
| Clear Height in front of Panel >480V | 2.0 Meter |
| Clear Height in front of Panel <480V | 0.9 Meter (3 Ft) |
| Clearance When Facing Other Electrical Panels <480V | 0.9 Meter (3 Ft) |
| The width of the workingspace in front of the Panel | The 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 |
Clearance for Conductor Entering in Panel (NES 408.5)
| Description of Clearance | Distance (min) |
| Spacing between The conduit or raceways (including their end fittings) and bottom of enclosure | Not rise more than 75 mm (3 in) above the bottom of the enclosure |
| Spacing between bottom of enclosure and insulated busbars, their supports | 200 mm |
| Spacing between bottom of enclosure and non-insulated busbars | 200 mm |
Clearance between Bare Metal Busbar in Panel (NES 408.5)
| Voltage | Opposite Polarity Mounted on Same Surface | Opposite Polarity Where Held Free in Air | Live Parts to Ground |
| Up to 125 V | 19.1 mm | 12.7 mm | 12.7 mm |
| 125 V to 250 V | 31.8 mm | 19.1 mm | 12.7 mm |
| 250 V to 600 V | 50.8 mm | 25.4 mm | 25.4 mm |
Clearance of Outdoor electrical panel to Fence/Wall (NES 110.31)
| Voltage | Distance (min) |
| 600 V to 13.8 KV | 3.05 Meter |
| 13.8 KV to 230 KV | 4.57 Meter |
| Above 230 KV | 5.49 Meter |
Working Space around Indoor Panel/Circuit Board (NES 110.34)
| Voltage | Exposed 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 KV | 0.914 Meter (3 Ft) | 1.2 Meter (4 Ft) | 1.5 Meter (5 Ft) |
| 2.5 KV to 9.0 KV | 1.2 Meter (4 Ft) | 1.5 Meter (5 Ft) | 1.8 Meter (6 Ft) |
| 9.0 KV to 25 KV | 1.5 Meter (5 Ft) | 1.8 Meter (6 Ft) | 2.5 Meter (8 Ft) |
| 25 KV to 75 KV | 1.8 Meter (6 Ft) | 2.5 Meter (8 Ft) | 3.0 Meter (10 Ft) |
| Above 75 KV | 2.5 Meter (8 Ft) | 3.0 Meter (10 Ft) | 3.7 Meter (12 Ft) |
Clearance around an Outdoor electrical panel (NES 110.31)
| Description of Clearance | Distance (min) |
| Clear work space | Not 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 width | One 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 level | Enclosure door or hinged cover shall be kept locked |
Elevation of Unguarded Live Parts above Working Space (NES 110.34E)
| Voltage | Elevation (min) |
| 600 V to 7.5 KV | 2.8 Meter |
| 7.5 KV to 35 KV | 2.9 Meter |
| Above 35 KV | 2.9 Meter + 9.5 mm/KV |
Working Space for Panel (Code Georgia Power Company)
| Voltage | Exposed 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 V | 3.0 Meter | 3.0 Meter | 3.0 Meter |
| 150 V to 600 V | 3.0 Meter | 3.5 Meter | 4.0 Meter |
| 600 V to 2.5 KV | 3.0 Meter | 4.0 Meter | 5.0 Meter |
| 2.5 KV to 9 KV | 3.0 Meter | 4.0 Meter | 6.0 Meter |
| 9 KV to 25 KV | 5.0 Meter | 6.0 Meter | 6.0 Meter |
*** NES – National environmental standards for electricity transmission activities