Field Notes
Temporary power spider box GFCI and cord tag record
Before tenant fit-out temporary power is released, the record should identify the panel source, breaker or feeder, spider box, voltage and configuration, GFCI trip and reset status, cord tags, cord condition, route protection, inspection log, exceptions, witness, and energization release decision.
Direct answer
Before a temporary power spider box is released for tenant fit-out work, the record should identify the panel or disconnect source, breaker or feeder, circuit number, voltage and phase, spider box tag, listed configuration, input cord, output receptacles used, GFCI module test and reset result, power-on or fault indicators, cord tag status, cord set condition, cord route, damage protection, daily inspection status, assured equipment grounding conductor program evidence where used, exceptions, qualified witness, and release decision.
The record should prove that temporary power was not released only because a box had power. It should connect the source panel to the portable distribution equipment, show that required ground-fault protection or grounding-program evidence was checked, and make cord condition and route hazards visible before tenant crews plug in.
Use this as documentation guidance only. OSHA rules, the electrical safety plan, site temporary-power plan, AHJ requirements, the project specifications, manufacturer instructions, and qualified electrical workers control installation, testing, energization, troubleshooting, and removal.
Why this record matters
Tenant fit-out temporary power moves as the work moves. A spider box may be fed from a temporary panel one week, a permanent panel under construction the next week, and a generator or distribution unit during a shutdown. If the source, breaker, cord set, and GFCI status are not documented, later crews inherit a powered setup without knowing what was actually checked.
OSHA construction standards require ground-fault protection for construction-site employees by GFCI or by an assured equipment grounding conductor program, with specific conditions and records. OSHA temporary wiring rules also make temporary wiring a controlled condition, not a casual extension of permanent wiring.
Manufacturer documents for portable power distribution units and GFCI devices support the same field need: identify the unit, understand its protective features, test and reset devices as instructed, and treat tripped or abnormal conditions as exceptions before use.
Start with source and load boundary
The first page should name the building, floor, tenant area, temporary power plan reference, source panel or disconnect, breaker or feeder, circuit number, voltage, phase, amperage where known, upstream GFCI or overcurrent device where known, spider box tag, cord set tag, and fit-out area served.
Do not write only from panel. A reviewer needs to know whether the source is a temporary panel, permanent panel, generator distribution point, transformer output, or another portable distribution unit. The record should also say which tenant area, trade area, or work zone is released.
If the spider box is moved, re-fed, or repurposed, create a new record or revision. A release for Suite 210 rough-in does not automatically release the same box after it is moved to another floor or plugged into a different source.
Photograph the panel source
Photograph the source panel or disconnect label, panel directory where available, breaker or feeder ID, breaker handle position after authorized energization, temporary-power tag, source cord entry point, strain relief, and the surrounding condition that shows the source was not guessed.
The photo set should make the source traceable without exposing sensitive access information. Do not photograph passwords, lock combinations, or security details. Capture the electrical identity needed for the record.
If the panel directory is incomplete, if the breaker is unlabeled, or if the source cannot be tied to the temporary-power plan, record that as a hold item instead of relying on a verbal description.
Identify the spider box
Record the spider box tag, manufacturer, model where visible, rating plate, input connector, output receptacles, GFCI modules or breakers, power-on indicators, abnormal-condition indicators, enclosure condition, cover condition, legs or mounting condition, and location in the fit-out area.
Southwire, Ericson, Larson, Hubbell, and Leviton sources describe portable distribution or GFCI equipment with protective features such as GFCI protection, overload protection, open-neutral protection, self-test features, power indicators, or manual reset behavior. The field record should document the features on the actual device being released, not just the catalog family.
If the rating plate is missing or unreadable, hold the release until a qualified person identifies the equipment and confirms it is suitable for the planned use.
Record the GFCI trip and reset evidence
For each GFCI module, breaker, receptacle, or inline device that serves the tenant fit-out area, record the device ID, test method allowed by the manufacturer or site plan, trip result, reset result, indicator status, date, time, and witness.
OSHA explains that a GFCI is intended to interrupt power quickly during a ground fault, and OSHA construction rules require ground-fault protection or an assured equipment grounding conductor program for construction-site employees. Manufacturer documents add device-specific test and reset details. The record should preserve the actual trip and reset result before use.
Do not treat a green light or power-on indicator as a complete record by itself. Record what was tested, what tripped, what reset, and what load or receptacle was withheld if a device did not respond correctly.
Do not blur GFCI and grounding-program evidence
The record should say which protection basis applies to the setup: GFCI protection, assured equipment grounding conductor program, or both where the site requires both. Do not write checked GFCI and AEGCP if no one can produce the device test or grounding-program log.
OSHA 1926.404 describes the construction-site ground-fault protection options and the minimum elements of an assured equipment grounding conductor program. OSHA interpretation material also matters when extension cords are plugged into permanent wiring during construction work.
A strong record separates GFCI trip evidence from cord continuity, terminal connection, inspection, and test-log evidence. That separation prevents a passed receptacle test from being used to hide missing cord records.
Cord routing and damage protection
Document the cord route from source to spider box and from spider box to work area. Photos should show doorways, pinch points, slab openings, traffic paths, lift routes, wet areas, sharp edges, overhead support, cord ramps, cable protectors, and any suspended temporary wiring.
OSHA temporary wiring rules and interpretation material support treating temporary wiring and cord routing as controlled conditions. The field record should not certify an installation beyond the qualified team's scope, but it should show that obvious damage and route hazards were reviewed before release.
If a cord crosses a corridor, lift path, roll-up door, stair, wet floor, metal edge, or demolition zone, record the protection used or the hold item assigned.
Release table
Use a compact table so the electrical foreman, tenant superintendent, safety lead, and owner representative review the same evidence.
| Record field | What to capture | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Panel, disconnect, breaker, feeder, voltage, phase, temporary-power plan reference | Shows where the spider box is fed from |
| Spider box | Tag, manufacturer, rating plate, input, outputs, GFCI devices, indicators | Identifies the portable distribution equipment |
| GFCI test | Device ID, trip result, reset result, indicator status, time, witness | Preserves ground-fault protection evidence |
| Cord tags | Input and output cord IDs, plug condition, jacket condition, strain relief | Connects the release to actual cord sets |
| Program basis | GFCI, assured grounding program, competent person, test log where used | Prevents vague compliance notes |
| Route protection | Doorways, pinch points, traffic paths, wet areas, support, cord ramps | Shows damage hazards were reviewed |
| Exceptions | Failed trip, no reset, damaged cord, missing tag, wrong source, wet connector | Makes hold points visible |
| Release | Released, released with restrictions, held, retest required, owner and time | Defines the fit-out energization decision |
Before-release checklist
Run this checklist before tenant fit-out crews are allowed to use the spider box.
- Source panel or disconnect is identified and photographed.
- Breaker, feeder, circuit, voltage, phase, and fit-out area served are recorded.
- Spider box tag, rating plate, input connector, output receptacles, and GFCI devices are photographed.
- Each applicable GFCI device has a recorded trip and reset result.
- Power-on, fault, open-neutral, or abnormal indicators are documented where present.
- Input cord and output cords are tagged and tied to the daily inspection log.
- Cord jackets, plugs, connectors, strain relief, and temporary repairs are inspected.
- Cord routes through doorways, pinch points, traffic paths, wet areas, and sharp edges are photographed.
- Assured equipment grounding conductor program evidence is attached where that program is used.
- Exceptions, restrictions, retest requirements, and release authority are written before use.
Weak versus strong record
Weak record: Spider box energized, GFCI OK, cords checked, released for tenant.
Strong record: Spider box TP-SB-04 in Suite 310 was fed from temporary panel TP-3 breaker 12 under temporary-power plan ETP-06. Photos show the panel label, breaker ID, box rating plate, L21-30 input, six 20 amp output receptacles, GFCI modules, and source cord tag C-310-01. At 7:18 a.m., the electrician tested each GFCI module using the site-approved method. Devices G1 through G6 tripped and reset, with normal indicator status after reset. Input cord C-310-01 and output cords C-310-02 through C-310-05 were inspected before use; cord C-310-04 had a damaged jacket and was removed. Cord routes through the corridor were protected by cord ramps and photographed. Release was limited to Suite 310 rough-in tools, with retest required if the source or box moved.
The strong record ties source, device, cord set, test evidence, exception, route protection, and release limit together.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is photographing the spider box but not the panel source. That leaves no durable link between the portable distribution unit and the breaker or feeder that powers it.
Another mistake is writing GFCI tested without listing which device tripped and reset. A six-output box needs device-level evidence, not one general note.
Other mistakes include missing cord tags, old inspection tape, no competent-person log where an assured grounding program is used, damaged plug faces, taped cord jackets, wet connectors, cords across lift routes without protection, unlabeled source breakers, and no retest rule after the box is moved.
When to hold energization
Hold release if the source cannot be identified, the breaker or feeder is unlabeled, the voltage or phase is uncertain, the spider box rating plate is missing, a GFCI device fails to trip or reset, an abnormal indicator remains active, a cord tag is missing, a cord is damaged, a connector is wet, or the route exposes cords to damage.
Also hold if the site is relying on an assured equipment grounding conductor program but the written program, competent-person assignment, test evidence, or required interval record cannot be produced.
The hold note should name the box, source, cord tag, failed device or missing record, responsible person, correction needed, retest evidence, and whether any portion of the temporary power setup remains usable.
Owner and tenant handoff
The handoff should include source photos, spider box photos, GFCI test log, cord tag list, cord inspection log, assured grounding program evidence where used, route photos, exceptions, release restrictions, retest trigger, and removal condition.
Keep the record with temporary-power permits, electrical daily reports, safety inspection logs, panel schedules, tenant fit-out logistics plans, and shutdown records.
If tenant crews add cords or move equipment, the record should define who reinspects and who updates the release.
Questions before release
What panel or disconnect feeds this spider box? What breaker or feeder is used? What work area is released? What voltage and configuration are being supplied?
Which GFCI devices were tested? Which cords are tagged? What cord route hazards exist? Which exceptions were corrected, and which restrictions remain?
Who can move the box, who can retest it, and what event cancels the release?
Compliance and safety limits
This article does not approve temporary wiring, select equipment, size conductors, set overcurrent protection, define GFCI test methods, authorize energized work, or replace a qualified electrical inspection. It is a record structure for preserving source, spider box, GFCI, cord tag, route, exception, and release evidence.
Follow OSHA requirements, AHJ direction, the electrical safety plan, temporary-power plan, lockout and energized-work controls, project specifications, and manufacturer instructions. If those documents conflict with this checklist, use the controlling requirement and record the decision.
Do not energize, troubleshoot, open panels, reset protective devices, modify cords, move spider boxes, or use temporary power outside qualified authority.
Sources checked
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.404 Wiring Design and ProtectionUsed for construction-site ground-fault protection, GFCI, and assured equipment grounding conductor program context.
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.405 Wiring MethodsUsed for temporary wiring scope, removal, and wiring-method context.
- OSHA, Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor ProgramUsed for continuity testing, terminal connection testing, inspection, and program documentation context.
- OSHA eTool, Ground-Fault Circuit InterruptersUsed for GFCI purpose and ground-fault protection context.
- OSHA Interpretation, Extension Cords and Permanent WiringUsed for construction-site extension cord ground-fault protection context.
- OSHA Interpretation, 208-Volt Branch CircuitsUsed for branch-circuit and ground-fault protection interpretation context.
- OSHA Interpretation, Temporary Wiring SupportsUsed for temporary wiring support and field-routing context.
- Hubbell, 60AMP SPIDER II Wiring Diagram and InstructionsUsed for spider box GFCI module test, reset, and abnormal-condition context.
- Larson Electronics, Portable Spider Box Instruction GuideUsed for portable spider box GFCI protection and limitation context.
- Southwire, Temporary Power CatalogUsed for temporary power distribution unit feature and GFCI-protected receptacle context.
- Leviton, GFCI Products Buying GuideUsed for GFCI test and self-test device context.
- Ericson, Jobsite Power PDC and PDU GuideUsed for portable distribution unit, GFCI, overload, and open-neutral protection context.
- Leviton, Portable GFCI Devices Product BulletinUsed for portable jobsite GFCI and temporary power application context.