Height of outlet in commercial locations.
- Thread starter Riiska
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
This is definitely not an NEC requirement. Commercial installations often need to comply with ADA requirements but the NEC is silent on the height.
Welcome to the Forum.
Welcome to the Forum.
It's Really an industrial plant and definitely not where anyone but maintenance would need it. and He is saying because concrete in "conductive" and you might have to lay down to work on it so there's a code saying you cant do it. P.S. I know that sounds ridiculous but this is the stuff I deal with on a regular basis. I Just want to bring these questions to the forum to make sure im not overlooking any codes. I appreciate your response!! ThanksThis is definitely not an NEC requirement. Commercial installations often need to comply with ADA requirements but the NEC is silent on the height.
Welcome to the Forum.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I agree with Rob, if there is a height requirement it will most likely come from ADA and will probably be dependent to some degree on who is supposed to be able to have access.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
As a general rule for safety reasons you are normally not supposed to work on it while it is energized so laying on the concrete to work on it doesn't really introduce additional electrical hazards, might increase your chances of being run over by a forklift or something though.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Being an industrial setting, is this a hazardous location? Explosive gases, fibers or dust may be present?
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
The only location the NEC requires a receptacle is for electrical service rooms and for HVAC. Other than that, no receptacles are required. And I appreciate your attitude, in the electrical field we get a lot of "this is required" but no actual language says that. Mike Holt would say "is this what you think or what you know"
If you electrician is concerned about the concrete floor, a GFCI is the safe and low cost solution to that.
If you electrician is concerned about the concrete floor, a GFCI is the safe and low cost solution to that.
No nothing like that.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Correct NEC doesn't require a receptacle at all.
ADA might still have a height requirement if there is a receptacle.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
In my shop I put the receptacles at 4 ft 6" so they are above a sheet of plywood leaned against the wall. Seems like ADA is 18".
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Thats the only thing other than ADA that would have a height requirement.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
18" is still not very accessible behind a sheet of plywood leaned against the wall.
Think there is a max height for ADA as well but not certain what it is. But also pretty certain it will depend on what it is intended for as well as who may be intended to use it, especially in something like an industrial plant on a production floor where the requirements may differ in spaces like offices, meeting rooms, etc.
The Code of Federal Regulations 28 Part 36 (American Disabilities Act) in Section 4.27.3 states that electrical and communications system receptacles on walls shall be mounted no less than 15" above floor. However, the exception indicates that this does not apply to receptacles not intended for use by building occupants. The maximum height for receptacles and/or switches is between 48 and 54 inches, depending on the conditions, see Section 4.2.5 and 4.2.6 of the ADA.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Kind of leaves the door for interpretation wide open doesn't it? Maybe useful for receptacles intended for a specific appliance but still leaves you wondering for most anything else.
How about a room with a stair railing as a perimeter wall? With NEC rules we have to count that in our 6-12 spacing rules and sometimes can use a floor outlet to comply. With ADA the floor outlet would not be acceptable yet NEC says we still need a receptacle. Guess you are either putting an outlet on the railing somehow or hanging a pendant outlet if you have strict enforcement of ADA?
Then when you get into non dwellings it can be more complicated. Who is a building occupant and/or who needs access to certain things.
Think floor outlet in a conference/meeting room for media equipment and the fact that someone with a disability may be the one that needs to use it.
I don't know ADA requirements well at all, maybe there is other exceptions to the general rules?
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