GFCI Locations need to be Labeled

[Jeff Weissman Electric]

Excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong area.

My thought/proposal is for all GFCI receptacles locations to be identified, labeled or listed, and posted in a conspicuous location.
Here is why this is most needed. Many times today in new construction or remodels the electrician are "hiding" GFCI's in closets or pantries and are hard to locate years after the installation.

One Scenario I have run into, Kitchen receptacles on the right of the sink have GFI located on the counter top. To the left of the sink, the electricians placed the GFI Protecting the counter top receptacles in an adjacent pantry. The GFI was hidden behind my customers cereal Boxes.

Another scenario, Kitchen counter top receptacles were a hidden Plugmold and the GFI receptacle protecting the plug mold was hidden in an upper cabinet, again behind plates and utensils, not easily located.

Another scenario, exterior receptacles, the protecting GFI gets placed inside the garage and ends up covered with either new cabinets or behind stored furniture.

My Proposal would be to have a LABEL located in the breaker panel(s) listing specific locations of all GFI receptacles.
Homeowners don't receive Owners manuals when buying a house showing locations of GFI receptacles. Homeowners are too busy to remember locations of GFI's.
The first place people go, upon a power outage is the breaker panel, This is where they will notice the Label showing locations of ALL GFI receptacles.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Jeff,
It is much too late for 2017 changes as those public inputs (proposals) were due Nov.7, 2014, so you have plenty of time to work up your "public input" for the 2020 code. They will be due on the first Friday of November, 2017.

 

[MasterTheNEC]

Excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong area.

My thought/proposal is for all GFCI receptacles locations to be identified, labeled or listed, and posted in a conspicuous location.
Here is why this is most needed. Many times today in new construction or remodels the electrician are "hiding" GFCI's in closets or pantries and are hard to locate years after the installation.

One Scenario I have run into, Kitchen receptacles on the right of the sink have GFI located on the counter top. To the left of the sink, the electricians placed the GFI Protecting the counter top receptacles in an adjacent pantry. The GFI was hidden behind my customers cereal Boxes.

Another scenario, Kitchen counter top receptacles were a hidden Plugmold and the GFI receptacle protecting the plug mold was hidden in an upper cabinet, again behind plates and utensils, not easily located.

Another scenario, exterior receptacles, the protecting GFI gets placed inside the garage and ends up covered with either new cabinets or behind stored furniture.

My Proposal would be to have a LABEL located in the breaker panel(s) listing specific locations of all GFI receptacles.
Homeowners don't receive Owners manuals when buying a house showing locations of GFI receptacles. Homeowners are too busy to remember locations of GFI's.
The first place people go, upon a power outage is the breaker panel, This is where they will notice the Label showing locations of ALL GFI receptacles.

Interesting thoughts but chances or success would be slim. The fact that all of the receptacle locations you mention that have GFCI devices would have to be "readily accessible" in the first place would be more important in my view than some label that we know would be removed by the home owners upon sight. The old motto that still rings true is "you can't fix stupid" and thus the debate also begins on that is considered "readily accessible"...like the debate over the GFCI under the kitchen sink.....is it just accessible or is it readily accessible....because if you place a GFCI there it has to be readily accessible.....but you get my point.