What risk is associated with an unbonded grounding system?

An unbonded grounding system poses a significant risk of electric shock hazards due to voltage differences. In a properly bonded system, all conductive parts are interconnected, ensuring that any fault conditions will equalize voltage and direct fault currents safely to the ground. This bonding creates a low-resistance path to ground, reducing the potential for dangerous voltage differences between earthed surfaces and equipment.

When grounding is unbonded, different conductive surfaces may have varying voltages, especially during fault conditions. This situation can create a scenario where a person touching two surfaces at different potential could experience a dangerous shock. Electric shock hazards become particularly serious in environments with wet conditions or when individuals could inadvertently create a complete circuit by touching different surfaces. Therefore, adequate bonding is essential to ensure safety and prevent voltage discrepancies that can lead to electric shock incidents.