Crawlspace job in Manville last week, replacing a section of drain under an old ranch. There was an inch of water down there from the storms. The work light was on an extension cord plugged into a garage outlet, no GFCI. Halfway through, the light flickered and I felt a tingle in my hand where I was holding the light and kneeling in the water. I got out right away.
The cord had a nick in it. I'm fine. My boss said I should have checked the cord, and he's right, but I also had no idea the garage outlet wasn't GFCI protected.
What do you all do before going into a wet crawlspace? I'd like a routine instead of luck.
Foreman, Inside Wireman (IBEW) · 19 years · Morris County, NJ
Mentor✓ Accepted answer
First: you got out. That was the right call. A tingle in a wet space is a warning, not a nuisance.
Before any wet crawlspace: GFCI protection at the source, or a portable GFCI at the plug, and test it every time. Inspect the whole cord, end to end. Use lights rated for damp locations. And if there's standing water and anything electrical involved, the job can wait until it's dry. Stay safe.
Electrical inspector (former contractor) · 26 years · Ocean County, NJ
Mentor
Ground-fault protection for temporary power on a job is a standard requirement, and a garage outlet in an older house may well predate GFCI. Don't assume any outlet in an older house is protected. Test it.
Mechanical contractor (HVAC + plumbing) · 24 years · Burlington County, NJ
Mentor
Careful with that one. Whether a space counts as a permit-required confined space is a specific determination, and some crawlspaces could qualify depending on the hazards. On our jobs the competent person makes that call. Your instructor's instinct is right, though: treat it with that respect.
Foreman, Inside Wireman (IBEW) · 19 years · Morris County, NJ
Mentor
One more: if you ever take a real shock, even if you feel fine afterward, tell someone and consider getting checked out. Some injuries don't show up right away.
HVAC contractor, owner · 25 years · Middlesex County, NJ
Mentor
Crawlspace routine at my company:
- Look before you crawl: water, wiring, animals, smell
- Portable GFCI and a cord you've inspected
- Someone outside who knows you're in there
- Phone or radio on you
- If it smells like sewage or gas, nobody goes in yet
Electrical Contractor · 22 years · Monmouth County, NJ
Mentor
Honestly after Sandy we did hundreds of crawlspaces down here, and that's the one thing I drilled into every helper. Portable GFCI on every cord, every time. Water under a house is a different job.
vo-tech electrical guy here, over-explaining: a nicked cord plus wet ground means you were the path. that's literally what our teacher draws on the board every year. glad you're not the example now