Since their introduction in to the National Electrical Code in the 1970s, ground fault circuit interrupters have saved thousands of lives. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 50% of home electrocutions have been prevented by the introduction of GFCIs.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International wants you to make sure your home is properly protected against ground faults with the correct installation of GFCIs. GFCI protection is required for outlets installed in:
Bathrooms
Garages
Outdoors
Balconies, desks, and porches
Kitchen countertops
Within 6 feet of a sink
Laundry areas
Within 6 feet of a bathtub or shower.
How to test a GFCI:
Push the RESET button
Plug in a nightlight or similar device
The nightlight should be ON
Press the TEST button on the GFCI
The nightlight should turn OFF
Push the RESET button again
The nightlight should turn ON
If the device does not turn on, contact a qualified electrician to inspect the outlet
Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.
