GFCI receptacle in close proximity to the shower stall

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dec

dec

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A shower enclosure has an area for sitting outside the actual shower stall. A GFCI receptacle is installed 6 feet from the inside edge of the shower stall. A hand held shower wand is located where one could point it at the receptacle and actually spray water directly at the GFCI receptacle. To my knowledge....there may or may not be a shower curtain separating the shower stall from the shower enclosure sitting area. I do not like the idea of the GFCI receptacle location inside the enclosure but cannot find any article in the NEC prohibiting it. I have even thought....What if they use a WP rated GFCI outlet with a bubble cover? I am sorry...but I just don't like it.
 
Bubble covers are only required for wet locations. Outside a bathroom shower stall is not a wet location.

We don't use bubble covers in kitchens, in laundry rooms, in garages, in sheds, in unfinished basements........
 
The shower enclosure also houses the shower stall and the sitting area (I guess it is for getting un dressed). I have seen these enclosures at the gym and at camping area shower rooms. The GFCI receptacle is located inside this enclosure. Wouldn't that make a difference??
 
dec said:
A shower enclosure has an area for sitting outside the actual shower stall. A GFCI receptacle is installed 6 feet from the inside edge of the shower stall. A hand held shower wand is located where one could point it at the receptacle and actually spray water directly at the GFCI receptacle. To my knowledge....there may or may not be a shower curtain separating the shower stall from the shower enclosure sitting area. I do not like the idea of the GFCI receptacle location inside the enclosure but cannot find any article in the NEC prohibiting it. I have even thought....What if they use a WP rated GFCI outlet with a bubble cover? I am sorry...but I just don't like it.
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One could spray water from a handheld shower, or for that matter, from a kitchen faucet sprayer into the receptacles in almost any kitchen or small bathroom. That's part of why they must be gfci-protected. I would install a WR receptacle but only because of the high humidity.
 
Sorry. didn't take any photos,,,,, So I understand the position made about spraying water into the outlet via kitchen sprayer and even splashing water from the faucet, however those scenarios don't take into consideration that there would be a human body drenched in water....in the shower...and the spray or splash could be hitting the outlet. I would not have a problem if the outlet was outside the enclosure but with it inside where humans are soaked to the skin and then plugging in some type of accessory or god forbid a radio into the outlet while they are dripping wet....makes my skin crawl. Surely there is someone out there to make sense of this madness.
 
dec said:
Sorry. didn't take any photos,,,,, So I understand the position made about spraying water into the outlet via kitchen sprayer and even splashing water from the faucet, however those scenarios don't take into consideration that there would be a human body drenched in water....in the shower...and the spray or splash could be hitting the outlet. I would not have a problem if the outlet was outside the enclosure but with it inside where humans are soaked to the skin and then plugging in some type of accessory or god forbid a radio into the outlet while they are dripping wet....makes my skin crawl. Surely there is someone out there to make sense of this madness.
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I understand your uneasiness. However, the receptacle is a gfci and would trip before there is any issue. I also question its reason for being there...it doesn't sound like a required receptacle. Do you have any authority to remove it? If it isn't necessary, and serves no obvious purpose, there should be an obvious case for removal.
 
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