517.16 Use of Isolated Ground Receptacles.

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The isolated ground receptacle in the patient care space but outside the patient care vicinity (left) must be
supplied by a metal raceway or cable system that qualifies as an equipment grounding conductor. The box
must be grounded by a green insulated wire type equipment ground and the isolated ground receptacle
terminal requires a green insulated equipment grounding conductor with one or more yellow stripes.

Code Change Summary: Requirements for isolated ground receptacles in a health care
facility have changed.

An isolated ground receptacle has a grounding terminal that has no contact with the
receptacle mounting strap or yoke. When installed against a grounded metal box, the
receptacle mounting strap is grounded. The receptacle’s isolated ground terminal is then
connected to an additional insulated grounding conductor that is installed as a separate
grounding path for the reduction of electrical noise on the sensitive electronic equipment
plugged into the receptacle. See 250.146(D).

Receptacles installed in the patient care vicinity of a health care facility are often used for life
saving medical equipment that is connected to the patient. Equipment grounding becomes
increasingly important as more electrical equipment is connected to the patient which is why
sections 517.13(A) and (B) work together to require redundant grounding for branch circuits
serving patient care spaces.

First, 517.13(A) requires the branch circuit serving the patient care space to be installed in a
metal raceway or metal cable that qualifies as an equipment ground, then 517(B) requires an
additional insulated wire type equipment grounding conductor to be installed in the metal
raceway or cable. Between the two, at least one grounding path will always be present to
provide a safe condition for the patient.

A patient care vicinity (defined in 517.2) is located within a patient care space such as a
hospital room. For the patient care vicinity, isolated ground receptacles are not permitted
since the redundant ground path required by 517.13(A) and (B) cannot be assured by the
isolated ground receptacle. Isolated ground receptacles are however permitted within the
patient care space but only when installed outside the immediate patient care vicinity.

In the 2017 NEC, new rules remove the confusion about the number of equipment grounding
paths required for branch circuits serving patient care spaces when isolated ground
receptacles are used within the patient care space but outside the patient care vicinity. For
such isolated ground receptacles, the new rules require the following:

• Since the branch circuit is still in the patient care space, the wiring method must be a
metal raceway or metal cable that qualifies as an equipment grounding conductor per
517.13(A).
• Metal boxes, enclosures and non–current-carrying conductive surfaces of fixed
electrical equipment must be grounded with a green insulated equipment grounding
conductor installed with the branch circuit conductors to comply with 517.13(B).

The grounding terminal on the isolated ground receptacle must be connected by an insulated
equipment grounding conductor with one or more yellow stripes which is permitted to pass
through one or more panelboards without a connection to the panelboard grounding terminal
bar as permitted in 408.40, Exception, so as to terminate within the same building or structure
directly at an equipment grounding conductor terminal of the applicable derived system or
service.

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 2017 NEC edition of
NFPA 70.

2014 Code Language:

517.16 Use of Isolated Ground Receptacles. An isolated ground receptacle shall not be
installed within a patient care vicinity.

2017 Code Language:

517.16 Use of Isolated Ground Receptacles.

(A) Inside of a Patient Care Vicinity. An isolated grounding receptacle shall not be installed
within a patient care vicinity.
(B) Outside of a Patient Care Vicinity. Isolated ground receptacle(s) installed in patient care
spaces outside of a patient care vicinity(s) shall comply with 517.16(B)(1) and (2).

N (1) The grounding terminals of isolated ground receptacles installed in branch circuits for
patient care spaces shall be connected to an insulated equipment grounding conductor in
accordance with 250.146(D) in addition to the equipment grounding conductor path required
in 517.13(A).

The equipment grounding conductor connected to the grounding terminals of isolated ground
receptacles in patient care spaces shall be clearly identified along the equipment grounding
conductors entire length by green insulation with one or more yellow stripes.

N (2) The insulated grounding conductor required in 517.13(B)(1) shall be clearly identified
along its entire length by green insulation, with no yellow stripes, and shall not be connected
to the grounding terminals of isolated ground receptacles but shall be connected to the box or
enclosure indicated in 517.13(B)(1)(2) and to non–current-carrying conductive surfaces of
fixed electrical equipment indicated in 517.13(B)(1)(3).