Tamper-Resistant Outlet Requirement Included in State Electrical Code

DOVER, Del. Jan. 7, 2010 - The Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission recently adopted the 2008 National Electrical Code® (NEC) with its tamper-resistant outlet requirement, making it the electrical installation standard for the state.

The 2008 NEC makes several new electrical safety provisions, including Section 406.11, stating that all 125-volt 15- and 20-ampere electrical outlets (receptacles) in new residential construction must be tamper-resistant. Each year, thousands of children suffer injuries caused by inserting objects into electrical outlets, and tamper-resistant receptacles protect against such incidents.

Using a built-in shutter system, tamper-resistant receptacles prevent foreign objects from touching electrically live components when inserted into the socket, but plugs can be inserted and removed just as with standard electrical outlets. Unlike plastic outlet caps, which can be removed or forgotten, tamper-resistant receptacles offer automatic, continuous and permanent protection against electrical burns.

"Adopting the tamper resistant outlet requirement marks a tremendous advancement for the electrical industry, for home safety, and especially for families," said Andrei Moldoveanu, technical director at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). "Delaware families and their children will now have the most reliable protection available against electrical injuries."

While unfamiliar to many homeowners, pediatric care wards have required hospital grade tamper-resistant receptacles for more than 20 years. And, even with their invaluable protection, the projected compliance costs using residential grade products are minimal.

NEMA estimates that tamper-resistant receptacles would add less than $70 to the cost of a new home's electrical system.

To date, the Code has taken effect at the state level in 30 other states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Five states with adoption within local jurisdictions have also begun enforcement: Alabama, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. Pennsylvania implemented similar tamper-resistant outlet requirements through its own building codes.

Parents, homeowners, and building and electrical professionals wanting to learn about tamper-resistant receptacles, child safety statistics and Code details can view an informational video and other resources at NEMA's Real Safety Web site: www.childoutletsafety.org. Additional information can be found at Electrical Safety Foundation International: www.esfi.org.

The NEC is an American National Standard developed by electrical safety experts under strict rules to ensure openness and broad representation by all interests. NEC adoption takes place on a state-by-state basis.

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