The main breaker has to be either on the outside with the meter socket or immediately inside the building where the service entrance comes in (except in a few rare cases where it is run under concrete, etc.). But you may want to look at your meter socket and see if there is a cutoff switch there if you are doing it yourself. An electrician will not care about that and will most likely just swap the breakers with the panel live.

OK, thanks. I don't actually know where my electric meter is - my gas and water meters are right at my house but I think the electric meters for all our units are in a locked utility room elsewhere in the complex so that's probably where the main breaker is. If we need access I'd have to get the condo property manager to let us in, but it sounds like from what you're saying, an electrician can work on my panel without it.

You need to figure out where your main disconnect is. It is not legal to have it locked as you suggest it may be. It must be accessible to you and the fire department should they need it.

There has to be a main disconnect either immediately outside your residence or directly inside the building.

What does the panel in your unit look like? Might be one of the six-through kludges.

I have a Murray panel with 24 slots in it.

you can just install a gfi outlet in your kitchen, just turn off the breaker for the kitchen, and replace the first outlet on the circuit with a gfi outlet, and the whole kitchen will be protected.

I had an electrician in today and he replaced the breakers with GFCI breakers - I preferred doing it that way than replacing the outlets. He did it with the panel live, although I had arranged with the condo board to have the room with the master breaker left open so we could get access if needed. I also raised the issue with them that by law all the owners need access to that room. They're going to look into it. Thanks for all your help.

WOW!! I can't imagine not having immediate access to your main disconnect is legal!

Does anyone have a reference to a law or code standard about access to the main breaker? Several people have said it's illegal to have it locked up in a utility room but I tried doing a search and couldn't find anything. Any specific reference that I could give to our condo board would be very helpful. I'm in Cambridge, MA, by the way, if that makes a difference. Thanks.

See section 240.24(B) of the 2005 NEC. This basically says that all residents should allowed access to the panelboards unless the building employs a maintenance supervisor and this person is always on site.

I believe most firemen will just pull the meter if they suspect a fire as they can do that from outside.

I have installed breakers and circuits while the panel was hot. I have no shutoff at all in my old house. Its very easy to stay clear of the hot busses.

House is about to be renovated. I wouldn't chose to lack a main shutoff.

Donnellyjt:
Just because you did it and survived doesn't mean its safe or good practice. It may be very easy to stay clear of the bus bar, but what if next time your hand slips? Nobody in their right mind would touch a hot bus intentionally, but the nature of accidents are that they're aren't intentional. I know that many electricians work on the panel hot, but such advise has no place on an electrical message board for do-it-yourselfers. Safety is ALWAYS number one, especially for those with less experience working around electrical equipment.

I remember some images floating around the internet showing peoples deformed and mutilated hands who had been electrocuted... They were the lucky ones and actually survived. Its just not worth the risk.

Stay Safe

donnelly:I believe most firemen will just pull the meter if they suspect a fire as they can do that from outside.
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You believe wrong. I have seen fireman watch a house burn down waiting for the POCO to come and disconnect the power to the house. it is extremely unsafe to pull a meter with a load on it.

As well, the POCOs in my area will not install a meter unless they can verify the main breakers are off.

Our condo board just notified us that we will all be getting keys to the utility room where our master breakers and meters are located. Thanks for all your advice and help.