# 210.8 GFCI Protection for Personnel



## Jayc316 (Jun 30, 2013)

I work as a maintenance electrician in a industrial manufacturing facility.
As part of the preventive maintenance duties I am tasked with monthly GFCI outlet inspection. After finding some "inconsistencies" with the GFCI protected locations in the production and maintenance areas, I tried to identify where in these steel and block buildings, with a cement slab floors, would the NEC require GFCI protection for personal? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :blink:


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

The construction of the building has nothing to do with it. It's all about location.
*
2011 NEC*

*210.8*

*(B) Other Than Dwelling Units.*

_All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in 210.8(B)(1) through (8) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel._


_Bathrooms_
_Kitchens_
_Rooftops_
_Outdoors_
_Sinks — where receptacles are installed within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the outside edge of the sink. Exception No. 1 to (5): In industrial laboratories, receptacles used to supply equipment where removal of power would introduce a greater hazard shall be permitted to be installed without GFCI protection._
_Exception No. 2 to (5): For receptacles located in patient bed locations of general care or critical care areas of health care facilities other than those covered under 210.8(B)(1), GFCI protection shall not be required._
_Indoor wet locations_
_Locker rooms with associated showering facilities_
_Garages, service bays, and similar areas where electrical diagnostic equipment, electrical hand tools, or portable lighting equipment are to be used_


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

210.8(B) would say the inside with a slab is not necessary but it may be a good idea.

Bathrooms, kitchens, rooftops, outdoors, sink areas, indoor in wet areas, locker rooms with showers and garages, service bays, and similar areas


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

210.8 B 5


A fridge will be installed about 4' from the sink as part of a kitchen remodel we are doing. The receptacle for this fridge will be behind the fridge and less than 6' from the sink. I looked at the manufacturer's specs of the fridge and they state that they do not want the fridge on GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. What would you do?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Chris1971 said:


> ...What would you do?



Ask the inspector.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Chris1971 said:


> 210.8 B 5
> 
> 
> A fridge will be installed about 4' from the sink as part of a kitchen remodel we are doing. The receptacle for this fridge will be behind the fridge and less than 6' from the sink. I looked at the manufacturer's specs of the fridge and they state that they do not want the fridge on GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. What would you do?


move the fridge receptacle 6' from the edge of the sink....?

~CS~


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Chris1971 said:


> 210.8 B 5
> 
> 
> A fridge will be installed about 4' from the sink as part of a kitchen remodel we are doing. The receptacle for this fridge will be behind the fridge and less than 6' from the sink. I looked at the manufacturer's specs of the fridge and they state that they do not want the fridge on GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. What would you do?


Commercial or residential?


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Speedy Petey said:


> Commercial or residential?


Residential.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> move the fridge receptacle 6' from the edge of the sink....?
> 
> ~CS~


Not possible.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

It doesn't matter where the refrigerator is located but rather where the receptacle is located.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Dennis Alwon said:


> It doesn't matter where the refrigerator is located but rather where the receptacle is located.


I understand. The receptacle will be less than 6' from the sink. I will call the inspector for clarification.


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## Roger123 (Sep 23, 2007)

Chris1971 said:


> 210.8 B 5
> 
> 
> I looked at the manufacturer's specs of the fridge and they state that they do not want the fridge on GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker.


First time I ever read that from a manufacturer, usually it is the other way around.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Roger123 said:


> First time I ever read that from a manufacturer, usually it is the other way around.


It specifically states it in the installation manual. The fridge manufacturer is Miele I believe.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

If it is in their written instructions then follow that. They are responsible at that point, not you.






p.s. Don't loose the instructions........ you may need them one day to prove your innocence .


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I would install it on a gfci circuit. It will not hurt the refrigerator- they are probably concerned about the gfci tripping and food going bad


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Chris1971 said:


> It specifically states it in the installation manual. The fridge manufacturer is Miele I believe.


 Is the refrigerator a listed product? The UL standard says that the maximum permitted leakage current for an appliance is 0.5mA or 1/10 the trip point of a GFCI.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

macmikeman said:


> If it is in their written instructions then follow that. They are responsible at that point, not you. ...


 The instructions cannot delete a code requirement, and the installer is still responsible for an installation that is not in compliace with the code.


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## Zekelec (Jan 12, 2015)

From 550.13

_(B) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). All 125volt, single-phase, 15and 20-ampere receptacle outlets installed outdoors, in compartments accessible from outside the unit, or in bathrooms, including receptacles in luminaires, shall have GFCI protection. GFCI protection shall be provided for receptacle outlets serving countertops in kitchens, and receptacle outlets located within 1.8 m (6 ft) of a wet bar sink.

*Exception: Receptacles installed for appliances in dedicated spaces, such as for dishwashers, disposals, refrigerators, freezers, and laundry equipment*._ 

You may have a case for an override of the general provisions. I would say that the recep needs to be inaccessible to comply. YMMV.

Also from 210.52:

_(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
Exception No. 1: In addition to the required receptacles specified by 210.52, switched receptacles supplied from a general-purpose branch circuit as defined in 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1, shall be permitted.
Exception No. 2: *The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater*._

Would you be able to bring in either a home run or other circuit that does not apply to the receptacles outside of the kitchen rule and do not require GFCI? IMHO, yes.

But, I'm just reaching here in order to help the poster with the fancy fridge.


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

Zekelec said:


> From 550.13
> 
> _(B) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). All 125volt, single-phase, 15and 20-ampere receptacle outlets installed outdoors, in compartments accessible from outside the unit, or in bathrooms, including receptacles in luminaires, shall have GFCI protection. GFCI protection shall be provided for receptacle outlets serving countertops in kitchens, and receptacle outlets located within 1.8 m (6 ft) of a wet bar sink.
> 
> ...


ARTICLE 550— MOBILE HOMES, MANUFACTURED HOMES, AND MOBILE HOME PARKS

210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets

OP is not talking about either one of these.


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## Zekelec (Jan 12, 2015)

Sorry about the 550 reference. I was using a search on the Free NEC and that's what came up. I didn't even look at the Special Occupancy chapter title.

However, I think it was *poster #4* that brought up the fridge and GFCI issue so, no, the copy and paste does not apply to the OP. I do think there is some substance to the idea that the outlet in question does not serve the counter and even at less than 6' from the sink, being inaccessible for small appliance use should give way to an exception. I say _should_ but that's a fallacy.

We are quick to assume the NEC is law whereas it's only law when the AHJ adopts it with or without local changes. Whoever said to talk it over with the inspector had the best answer. My intent was to find something the code to make reference to.

I will continue to offer what might make the case.
210.8(A)(6) It doesn't say yes and it doesn't say no.
But then I've had to pull my head out of my ass more than once. 

FWIW, we are on the 2011 NEC here.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Zekelec said:


> From 550.13
> 
> _(B) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). All 125volt, single-phase, 15and 20-ampere receptacle outlets installed outdoors, in compartments accessible from outside the unit, or in bathrooms, including receptacles in luminaires, shall have GFCI protection. GFCI protection shall be provided for receptacle outlets serving countertops in kitchens, and receptacle outlets located within 1.8 m (6 ft) of a wet bar sink.
> 
> ...


That doesn't apply here


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