The purpose of this code is the practical safeguarding of persons, utility facilities, and affected property during the installation, operation and maintenance of electric supply and communication facilities under specified conditions. NESC rules are founded on the fundamental principles used for safety of utility facilities and are accepted as good engineering practice; they are intended to provide a standard of safe practices that can be adopted by public utilities, state or local utility commissions or public service commissions, or other boards or bodies having control over safe practices employed in the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of electric supply, communication, street and area lighting, signal, or railroad utility facilities.