• 210.8(D) GFCI Protection for Specific Appliances 

This section was modified to ensure that the GFCI protection for appliances rated 150 V or less to ground and 60 A or less, single- or three-phase is placed in the branch circuit either at the breaker, the receptacle, or some other location upstream of the outlet to which the appliance is hardwired into the circuit. This provision is for the branch circuit supplying the appliance regardless of whether or not it is cord-and-plugged connected or hardwired. The hazard is the same in both cases. 

The list of appliances includes: 

• Automotive vacuum machines 

• Drinking water coolers and bottle fill stations 

• High-pressure spray washing machines 

• Tire inflation machines 

• Vending machines 

• Sump pumps 

• Dishwashers 

• Electric ranges 

• Wall-mounted ovens 

• Counter-mounted cooking units 

• Clothes dryers 

• Microwave ovens 

 The significance of this section is that protection from shock is provided for appliances that are not cord-and-plug connected. The main reason for the GFCI requirements in 210.8(A) and 210.8(B) is the shock statistics on appliances that are plugged into circuits in the areas addressed in these sections. These are cord-and-plugged connected appliances, as 210.8(A) and 210.8(B) both only address receptacles supplied by single-phase or three-phase branch circuits. The hazard is not the receptacle but rather the appliance that is plugged into the receptacle. The challenge that is presented when GFCI is required for only those appliances that are cord-and-plugged connected and must be plugged into a receptacle is when said appliances are hardwired into the circuit. The hazard has not been removed due to the appliance no longer being “plugged in” and rather being “hardwired” into the branch circuit.  

This challenge is the reason 210.8(D) exists. This first-level subdivision addresses those appliance applications that would not be covered by 210.8(A) or 210.8(B) due to the appliance being hardwired to an outlet supplied by a branch circuit. The intent of this section is to provide protection as part of the branch circuit, but the clarity of previous code cycles is such that it may be confusing to the installer, designer, or inspector that GFCI protection is not required in the branch circuit if the appliance has GFCI protection built into the cord. The intent here is to ensure the branch circuit is provided with protection regardless of whether or not the appliance has built-in protection features.