3-phase electrical receptacle near Emergency Shower

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Shujinko

Shujinko

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I have a project which is proposing to locate a 250V, 3-phase, NEMA L15-20R receptacle about 3 feet from a laboratory emergency shower. I am going to advise my client that this isn't a good idea...however I would like to include a code citation with this. Is there a code citation that prohibits this?
 
Shujinko said:
I have a project which is proposing to locate a 250V, 3-phase, NEMA L15-20R receptacle about 3 feet from a laboratory emergency shower. I am going to advise my client that this isn't a good idea...however I would like to include a code citation with this. Is there a code citation that prohibits this?
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Sounds like a wet or damp location, depending on the details of the shower. The receptacle may be allowed there since I think it is reasonable to say that an emergency shower is not a "real shower" for NEC purposes, so bathroom rules probably wouldn't apply and therefore this is not a "shower area". But, if it is allowed there, it would have to be installed in a manner suitable for the damp or wet location.
 
an emergency shower is not a wet or damp location.

Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete
slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in locations
subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such
as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations exposed
to weather.
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Location, Damp. Locations protected from weather and
not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but
subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such
locations include partially protected locations under canopies,
marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations,
and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture,
such as some basements, some barns, and some coldstorage
warehouses.
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The code is clear on where GFCIs are required for non-dwelling units. 210.8(B)

Note what this section starts off with.

(B) Other Than Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, singlephase,
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.
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I guess I'm not seeing how an emergency shower area is not "subject to saturation with water" or at least "subject to moderate degrees of moisture". It certainly seems to fit both descriptions. If it's not a damp or wet location, that implies that any electrical equipment could be installed there without regard for the water issue and I don't think that makes sense. Could you put a floor receptacle right under the shower? If not, why is a receptacle on the wall in the splash zone different? On the few projects I was involved in with emergency showers, electrical devices were kept out of the area as a matter of common sense, so the question of how the NEC would handle it never came up.
 
GoldDigger said:
I think the distinction could be that during "normal use" the emergency shower is never used.
Sort of by definition. :)
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Exactly.

These emergency showers are typically located in parts of buildings that are not built of wet location construction. If you use the shower you will flood the area.

If the building code is fine with that I am sure the NEC is as well.
 
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