What NEC code pertains to powered grounds?

Question

I work at a warehouse and recently it was discovered that a circuit(s) were miss wired, it's supposed to be a 120V 20A outlet but either the hot or the neutral to ground produce 242VAC. Osha came and told management to simply cover the outlets with a sheet of paper warning people. This really dumb so I need to know what NEC code covers this hazard. Any one using a metal cased device would be shocked by the 242Volts.

2014-01-25T19:41:52Z

Please provide the code i.e. Sec 70-? I know what I would do. I need to back it up Since OSHA ordered the placement of the paper over the outlet .

? · Accepted Answer

Someone has put a 120 volt 20A outlet (two parallel blades with a T on one side) where the wiring to the is delivering a 240 volt (both sides hot, two flat blades in line) as would be delivered to an air conditioner.  If you could trace the circuit back, you should find it wired to a double breaker.  The OSHA response you name is really stupid - the outlet should have been removed, the wires covered and a blank cover put in place. 
There should be nothing in the NEC about powered grounds - you can't have them.
Up through the 1990's, it was legal to build 240 volt appliances (dryers and ranges/ovens) where the Neutral also served as the Safety Ground - was connected to the case for units that used little or no 120 volt (either hot to neutral). This was done under an exemption for much of the 90's to allow manufacturers to convert. In the 1998 NEC, the requirement to have a 4 wire plug/outlet 2 hots, ground, and neutral was enforced - I worked in a hardware store at the time that the new appliances started arriving at people's houses with old 3 prong outlets.

Philomel · Answer

The circuit is protected by a circuit breaker. Pop the breaker to disable the circuit. Get an electrician to wire it properly.

What NEC code pertains to powered grounds?

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