ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Circuits and GFCI - 70s code

When I inspected buildings I used a small bottle of white auto touchup paint to mark the GFCI's so that I could find them in other locations. This was one way of finding the cheaters in New Haven, CT years ago!

I think we have gone over the top with GFCI protection. There are just so many cases where the likleyhood of a shock is really low or unlikely.
The latest is our recent requirment to require GFCI protection at all sinks within 1.5 meters of any sink.
Why? Before you jump to answer because of the water you need to remember electricity needs a fault path even to a wet person. The power still has to go through the person before there is a shock. A well bonded sink may carry power back to the neutral to trip an OC device but would you really get electrocuted in a kitchen if you stuck 1 hand in the water to pull the toaster out of it?
I doubt I would volunteer for that experiment but at the same time I am having a problem with the current path. from the toaster to the water. If the sink is bonded then from the water to the ground and neutral. The current then might be high enough to trip a regular breaker but what if the sink is plumbed with plastic? Then from the toaster to the water and then through you to where? If I was barefoot on my wood or lenoleum floor how does the electricity flow from me? To where? I have touched live wires and not gotten a shock if I am properly insulated and isolated.
It seems the only proof of hazard is an outlet near water.
I recently read a story that an electrical engineer claimed to his daughter that she could throw the radio in the tub and dad would not be injured like they show in the movies.
I can't remember of she ever tried it.