Which design technique protects against electric shock in a hydrotherapy area?

• A. Electrical outlets located 18 inches above floors
• B. Electrical outlets for whirlpools should be connected to ground fault circuit interrupters
• C. Electrical outlets should be limited to three devices plugged in and operating at one time
• D. Electrical on-off switches should be located within 6 inches of whirlpools

Answer: (C)

Protecting against electric shock in a hydrotherapy area comes from quickly disconnecting power when a fault occurs near water. Ground fault circuit interrupters are designed to detect even a small leakage current from a live conductor to ground and trip the circuit in a fraction of a second. When outlets that feed whirlpools and other aquatic equipment are connected to GFCIs, any stray current that could pass through a person in contact with water is interrupted almost instantly, reducing the risk of shock. The other ideas don’t provide this immediate fault protection: outlet height alone doesn’t prevent shock in wet environments, limiting the number of devices doesn’t stop a fault, and placing switches close to water can create unsafe conditions.