Change Summary

• Section 682.15 now requires that all receptacles installed outdoors and in or on floating buildings or structures within the electrical datum plane area are to be provided with GFCI protection for personnel (not just in areas used for storage, maintenance, or repair where portable electric hand tools, electrical diagnostic equipment, or portable lighting equipment are to be used).

Expert Analysis

For the 2017 NEC, the description, “areas that are used for storage, maintenance, or repair where portable electric hand tools, electrical diagnostic equipment, or portable lighting equipment are to be used” was deleted. GFCI protection for personnel is now required for all 15- and 20-ampere, single-phase, 125-volt through 250-volt receptacles installed outdoors and in or on floating buildings or structures within the electrical datum plane area without having to determine if portable electric hand tools, etc., will be used or not. The GFCI protection device must be located not less than 300 mm (12 in.) above the established electrical datum plane.

By removing the qualifying language, it will be clear that GFCI protection for personnel is required under all situations encountered within the electrical datum plane area. This change will help eliminate the debate between installers and enforcers in these areas concerning whether portable tools, portable lighting, and the like, are being used or not.