Safety for the Non-Electrical Worker: Special-Purpose GFCIs are a Step Closer in Prevention Through Design

Special-purpose ground-fault circuit-interrupters (SPGFCIs) are incredibly important across many industries, and yet—many people are unaware of this proactive engineering control. SPGFCIs recently premiered in the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC). While the NEC now requires SPGFCIs only for specific applications, there are many other places where shock hazards are just as prevalent and dangerous—if not more so—especially where workers are exposed to higher voltages such as in industrial, manufacturing, and construction environments. This paper will review the design principles mandated by the NEC and discuss SPGFCI technology, which react to hazards before they develop into shock events.