The definition of the equipment grounding conductor in the 2011 NEC is:
"The conductive path(s) installed to connect normally non-current-carrying metal parts of equipment together and to the system grounded conductor or to the grounding electrode conductor, or both."
Using the word 'or' is what my question is about. If the EGC connects only to the grounding electrode (and not to the grounded conductor at the service equipment), wouldn't this create an unsafe condition since the fault current would return to the source via the ground which will not trip the overcurrent device since the earth is not a low impedance path back to the source?
"The conductive path(s) installed to connect normally non-current-carrying metal parts of equipment together and to the system grounded conductor or to the grounding electrode conductor, or both."
Using the word 'or' is what my question is about. If the EGC connects only to the grounding electrode (and not to the grounded conductor at the service equipment), wouldn't this create an unsafe condition since the fault current would return to the source via the ground which will not trip the overcurrent device since the earth is not a low impedance path back to the source?