Overview

Some trade schools, community colleges, and secondary schools provide welding equipment for students. The use of this equipment creates an elevated electrical hazard for the personnel involved with the welding equipment. The 2023NEC has created a new Section 630.8 that addresses GFCI protection for personnel working around electric welders. This new section specifies which receptacles require GFCI protection. These new rules will create a safer working/learning environment for all personnel working in an area where welders are operated. Moving forward, the electrical professional will need to understand these new rules, and implement them correctly.

Applying the 2023 Code

It was recognized that an elevated electrical hazard exists for personnel operating welders. The 2023 NEC includes new Section 630.8 that addresses this elevated risk. Section 630.8 requires GFCI protection for personnel in areas where electric welders are operated. To be clear, this new section does not require the welder itself to be provided with GFCI protection, but rather all 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles in the area used for hand tools or portable lighting. This new section will minimize hazards associated with grinders accidently being set down on electrical cords while spinning, and creating a potential shock/electrocution hazard should it penetrate the supply cable. Additionally sparks and messy work areas can cause other hand tools or lighting equipment to become damaged, which elevates the shock/electrocution risk. Moving forward, the electrical professional will have to ensure that all of the required receptacles in the vicinity of electric welders provide GFCI protection.

What’s New for the 2023 NEC?

2020 NEC

In the 2020 NEC Section 630.8 did not exist.

2023 NEC

In the 2023 NEC Section 630.8 reads as follows:

630.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.

All 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles for electrical hand tools or portable lighting equipment, supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground, installed in work areas where welders are operated shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.