Ground Prong up?

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george t. everett

Senior Member
Location
New York
In the latest issue of NEC Digest, readers letters, it was stated that
OSHA requires receptacles to be installed with the ground prong up
if installed within 4' of the floor. Is this true? I have never heard of this.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Normally we would close a 'up or down ground' thread but this one is different.

Please try to stick to the OSHA question...
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I've never heard of it and wonder why a receptacle above 4' is any different than one below 4'.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Jim, I would think that if this is in fact an OSHA regulation they will have some safety reason for their substantiation but, like Trevor, I've never heard this before.

Roger
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
roger said:
Jim, I would think that if this is in fact an OSHA regulation they will have some safety reason for their substantiation but, like Trevor, I've never heard this before.

Roger
Is there job not over after final ? I also question if they ever said it.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Jim, in a commercial or industrial setting OSHA can visit and cite violations anytime, even years after a C.O., they play little or no part in finals or C. O.'s and can show up when they please.

Roger
 

chris kennedy

Senior Member
Location
Miami Fla.
Occupation
60 yr old tool twisting electrician
I've been searching for 30 mins. and can't find this. Where are the link masters tonight? (or mabey it DOESN'T exist). Sorry, was I shouting there?
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
chris kennedy said:
I've been searching for 30 mins. and can't find this. Where are the link masters tonight? (or mabey it DOESN'T exist). Sorry, was I shouting there?
I think the magazine writer may have had bad information. I ran the following two Google searches, and the only results were for missing ground prongs:

"ground prong" site:www.osha.gov

"ground pin" site:www.osha.gov
 

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
I think this only applies to installations in paper clip factories because if a cord were not inserted all the way a paper clip could fall across the hot and neutral and cause a short.......Now if the ground were up this would not happen.


Seriously though would a requirement like this over rule an NEC requirement and if so where would they draw the line. It seems as though we code have competeing codes is somebody wanted to go that route. Not a good thing imo.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
electricmanscott said:
I think this only applies to installations in paper clip factories because if a cord were not inserted all the way a paper clip could fall across the hot and neutral and cause a short.......Now if the ground were up this would not happen.

Count Metal Receptacle Cover Testing Facilities in this list, too. :grin:
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
OSHA can use any recognized standard to cite violations under the general duty clause. The have used both NFPA 70 and 70E.
 

Cavie

Senior Member
Location
SW Florida
The only Ground up I can think of is for right angle plugs like for Dryers and ranges or equipment in commercial kitchens for strain releaf.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
don_resqcapt19 said:
OSHA can use any recognized standard to cite violations under the general duty clause. The have used both NFPA 70 and 70E.

So how on earth do we know which one they are enforcing (or going to enforce?) :confused: Does that mean we need to comply with ALL codes?

Obviously, I don't understand this a bit.

This came up this week as a company we do work for had an OSHA inspection. It was basically "Change this, change that, etc because we said so." I guess this is legit?
 

paul

Senior Member
Location
Snohomish, WA
From the OP it sounds as though this information came from one of the readers comments...hence "reader's letters". I will take this information as being false.
 

azhapp

Member
Location
Arizona
george t. everett said:
In the latest issue of NEC Digest, readers letters, it was stated that
OSHA requires receptacles to be installed with the ground prong up
if installed within 4' of the floor. Is this true? I have never heard of this.
<i>Absolutely</> below 4' the ground prong is up, because when you pull on a cord, you're pulling up, so the ground should be the last to lose contact. Conversely, above 4', you're pulling straight or down, so the ground prong is down and is the last to lose contact. ;)
 
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