Receptacle near Eye wash station
- Thread starter faresos
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
(5) is for sinks in other than dwelling units.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Is an eye wash station a sink?
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Depending upon the code cycle the OP is on 210.8(B)(5) was changed from 2005 to 2008, in 2005 it was for outdoor receptacles serving HVAC units this was lumped into 210.8(B)(4) and new wording of 210.8(B)(5) was put in place.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I've used them for washing my hands many times.
HTML:
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
That would set off alarms on a number of them that I have worked on.
Even if you do wash things in them, I don't see them as sinks and triggering a requirement for GFCIs.
OTOH, there are those that would see them as sinks and would have a pretty good argument for their point of view IMO.
Roger
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Other than the ones that are installed as part of a lab sink, I have never seen one that would call a sink.
What is the reason for the GFCI sink rule? The fact that there is water near the receptacle or the fact that is it likely that a portable electric appliance would be used at the sink?
What is the reason for the GFCI sink rule? The fact that there is water near the receptacle or the fact that is it likely that a portable electric appliance would be used at the sink?
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
I just randomly looked up one for sale on line and the manufacturer calls them bowls, not sinks.
- Location
- Massachusetts
IMO it is a sink even though I doubt that it is what the CMP had in mind.
Merriam Webster said:
What does that have to do with the words in the NEC?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
What about the eyewash stations that are nothing more than a bottle of sterilized water?
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I have seen very few that were connected to a drain, and its purpose is "rinsing", not "washing".Merriam Webster said:
eric9822
Senior Member
- Location
- Camarillo, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical and Instrumentation Tech
They have drains but they are not usually connected to the waste lines, they drain to the floor. The difference between rinsing and washing can be debated but they seem fairly close to me. We don't consider them sinks but we require GFCI's as if they were sinks. Seems like a minor expense for an industrial facility just to be on the safe side.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I just don't see how there is a safety hazard just because there non-GFCI receptacle close by.
eric9822
Senior Member
- Location
- Camarillo, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical and Instrumentation Tech
FWIW,
The Air Force requires GFCI protection within 2 feet of eye wash station and 5 feet for emergency showers. I didn't see anything in the ANSI standard for the protection either, so not sure where they got it from. People who write our standards see "water" and automatically think GFCI required. Doesn't bother me and the cost is minimal for us. If it makes people feel are warm and fuzzy inside, it's okay. :happyyes:
The Air Force requires GFCI protection within 2 feet of eye wash station and 5 feet for emergency showers. I didn't see anything in the ANSI standard for the protection either, so not sure where they got it from. People who write our standards see "water" and automatically think GFCI required. Doesn't bother me and the cost is minimal for us. If it makes people feel are warm and fuzzy inside, it's okay. :happyyes:
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