Joe you are describing a piece of defective equipment (spliced cord) and that could happen with the most robust "industrial" item. When I asked my favorite builder she said their rule was that the case was intact and that the cord was undamaged. Beyond that they only require that the equipment is out of the way and not causing a trip hazard.
She seldom has to endure the music because a standing rule is "Baja la musica" when "El Hefe" is in the house.
