517.18(C) Designated Category 2 (General Care) Pediatric Locations.

Tamper-resistant receptacles are not required in an infant nursery of a health care facility.
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Tamper-resistant receptacles are not required in an infant nursery of a health care facility.

Code Change Summary: Revised code language provides clarity on tamper-resistance for receptacles in pediatric nurseries.

For years, either listed tamper-resistant receptacles or listed tamper-resistant receptacle covers have been required in pediatric locations excluding “nurseries”. It’s strange to think that receptacles in pediatric nurseries would be exempt from having any kind of tamper-resistance features.

In the 2020 NEC® the only pediatric nursery exempt from having tamper-resistant receptacles or tamper-resistant covers on the receptacles is an “infant” nursery since infants are not yet capable of crawling, walking or jamming paperclips into receptacles.

Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2020 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.

2017 Code Language:

517.18(C) Designated General Care (Category 2) Pediatric Locations. Receptacles that are located within the patient rooms, bathrooms, playrooms, and activity rooms of pediatric units or spaces with similar risk as determined by the governing body, other than nurseries, shall be listed tamper-resistant or shall employ a listed tamper-resistant cover.

2020 Code Language:

517.18(C) Designated Category 2 (General Care) Pediatric Locations. Receptacles that are located within patient rooms, bathrooms, playrooms, and activity rooms of pediatric units or spaces with similar risk as determined by the health care facility’s governing body by conducting a risk assessment, other than infant nurseries, shall be listed and identified as “tamper-resistant” or shall employ a listed tamper-resistant cover.

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517.18(C) Designated Category 2 (General Care) Pediatric Locations.

Below is a Real Question from our Electrical Continuing Education Courses for Electrical License Renewal:

Which of the following is true of pediatric locations in a hospital?

A: Receptacles in infant nurseries must be tamper-resistant or have a tamper-resistant cover.
B: Receptacles in a pediatric bathroom must be tamper-resistant or have a tamper-resistant cover.
C: Receptacles are not permitted in these locations.
D: Receptacles in pediatric locations must be installed out of reach of children.
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