Trace each transfer switch on the one-line into the specification and the equipment schedule, then compare its poles, rating, and neutral arrangement, whether it has a bypass/isolation switch, its transfer type (open, delayed, or closed transition), any fire pump service controls, its engine-start wiring to the generator, and its remote annunciation. The section’s Automatic Transfer Switch Drawings submittal is the place the contractor must reconcile them.
Assemble the review package
Gather the electrical one-line diagram, the transfer switch and generator schedules, the emergency and standby panel schedules, the electrical room plans with equipment layout, the fire pump and controller drawings, the generator drawings and Section 26 32 15, and the issued Section 26 36 23. Review one switch from its normal and alternate sources to its load before assuming another switch is drawn the same way.
WBDG publishes UFGS 26 36 23: Automatic Transfer Switches and By-Pass/Isolation Switch as a public guide-specification reference (accessed October 17, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.
Eight checks to run against the issued set
Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.
| Check | Sources to compare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Switch count and tags | One-line + equipment schedule + room plans | Does every transfer switch on the one-line appear on the schedule and the room plan with the same tag? |
| Rating, poles, and neutral | Equipment schedule + Automatic Transfer Switches article + one-line | Do the ampere rating, number of poles, and neutral arrangement agree across the schedule, one-line, and specification? |
| Bypass/isolation switch | By-Pass/Isolation Switch article + one-line + room plan | Where the specification retains a bypass/isolation switch, is it shown on the one-line and is there room for it in the electrical room layout? |
| Transfer type | Delayed Transition and Closed-Transition articles + one-line notes | Does the transfer type the specification retains match what the one-line and generator controls describe for each load? |
| Fire pump service | Controls for Fire Pump Service article + fire pump drawings | If a transfer switch serves a fire pump outside the pump controller, are the added controls specified and the arrangement shown on the fire pump drawings? |
| Engine start and exerciser | Engine Starting Contacts and Exerciser articles + generator drawings | Is engine-start wiring from each switch to the generator shown, and does only one device control generator exercising? |
| Remote annunciation | Remote Annunciator articles + room plans + generator annunciator | Is the remote annunciator located where the specification and the facility expect it? |
| Testing and listing | Factory Testing, Proof of Listing, and Functional Acceptance Tests articles | Do the submittals and testing match the switch use, including the medical facility testing article where the facility is a health care occupancy? |
Worked example: a bypass/isolation switch the room cannot hold
Illustrative example: the issued Section 26 36 23 retains the bypass/isolation switch for the life safety transfer switch. The one-line shows a plain transfer switch, and the electrical room plan draws a cabinet footprint sized for a switch without bypass, with required working clearance against the adjacent switchboard.
Ask the electrical engineer whether bypass isolation is required for that switch, then align the one-line, schedule, and specification, and recheck the room layout and clearances with the larger equipment. Check the other emergency and standby switches for the same omission.
Avoid a false conflict
A transfer switch drawn as one symbol on the one-line can hide several choices the specification makes, such as bypass isolation, transfer type, and fire pump controls. Read the retained articles, not just the section title.
When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.
Close the issue across the affected documents
Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.
For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.
Where Groundbook fits
Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.