IEEE 142-1956

IEEE 142-1956 is a grounding standard for industrial power systems, addressing how grounding should be applied to support safe, stable operation in power, energy, and industrial equipment environments. It is relevant to engineers and technical teams working with system grounding, bonding, and related electrical design practices. As a superseded document, IEEE 142-1956 remains useful for historical reference and for understanding earlier grounding requirements that shaped industrial power system practice.

Overview of IEEE 142-1956

IEEE 142-1956 focuses on the grounding of industrial power systems, with attention to the technical principles that help control faults, improve equipment protection, and support dependable system operation. The standard is tied to components, circuits, devices, and systems where grounding decisions can affect performance and safety. In practice, it serves as a technical reference for grounding methods, system connections, and engineering judgments used in industrial electrical installations and related design work.

Typical use cases

This standard is typically consulted when evaluating grounding arrangements for industrial distribution systems, power equipment, and electrical installations that serve process or plant operations. It may be useful during system design, retrofit planning, equipment integration, or review of legacy grounding practices. Teams working with switchgear, transformers, motors, or other power-system components may use IEEE 142-1956 to understand grounding approaches that were common in earlier industrial applications and to compare them with current design expectations.

Why it matters

Grounding is a core part of electrical system control, and IEEE 142-1956 helps document how that topic was addressed in industrial settings. For procurement, engineering review, and compliance research, it can support more consistent interpretation of legacy installations and design intent. Clear grounding practices may reduce fault-related risk, improve operational reliability, and help align equipment choices with the needs of the overall power system. As IEEE 142-1956 is superseded, it is especially valuable when working with older infrastructure or archived technical records.

• Industrial power system grounding
• Legacy electrical design reference
• Bonding and fault control context
• Equipment and system integration review