Switched On Issue 17

www.esc.org.uk

Issue17 | Summer 2010 | ÂŁ5.00

Plug into Safety ESC launches five-year RCD campaign

WELCOME

n page 7 of this edition of Switched On you will read that despite the efforts of organisations such as the ESC and ECA, the network companies have declined to establish a scheme that would allow electricians to withdraw the cut-out fuse in order to work safely on the customer’s electrical installation. The reason cited by representatives of the network companies is health and safety. This would be amusing were it not so outlandish, particularly as the Health and Safety Executive has been supporting efforts to bring about an agreement with the network companies to allow electricians to be able to work safely and provide their customers with a good service.

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The consequences of the decision by the network companies to withdraw from the

discussions is that customers will have to bear extra cost and inconvenience, as they or their electrician will have to arrange for a visit to remove the cut-out fuse prior to work commencing and then plan a return visit to get the fuse put back in. The alternative is an unauthorised removal of the fuse, which could lead to a dispute with the network company. This is in no way ideal for anyone - least of all the customer who will have to bear the inconvenience of waiting for the job to be finished, not to mention the additional cost

legislation. We have already written to the prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs) for the three main parties in their target seats, outlining key areas of our work and asking them to sign a pledge to support improvements to the electrics in the private housing sector should they be elected. We have been heartened by the interest the pledge has generated and we will be following up with those PPCs that are elected to see how we can use their support to gain the improvements in electrical safety we are seeking.

This is a sorry state of affairs and given the Government’s target of installing some 20 million smart electricity meters by 2020, it would seem improbable that the target will be reached if there is not an agreement that will allow electricians to remove the cut-out fuse, albeit following an approved training course. We will continue to lobby hard on this matter and when the newly elected Government is in place we will be seeking to meet with the minister responsible to discuss our concerns in this matter.

Also in this edition you will read about the flagship RCD campaign, page 8. This is the ESC’s biggest campaign since it was renamed and shows how far we have come since 2006. The campaign seeks to change behaviours of consumers and encourage the installation and use of RCDs. We are seeking the support of manufacturers and the electrical contracting industry and as the campaign is rolled out there will be opportunities to get involved. I would encourage you to do this as RCDs are a proven life saver.

On the subject of the general election, by the time you read this edition of Switched On the new Government will have been in place for around six weeks. The ESC is currently paying close attention to each party’s manifesto and we will be watching carefully to see how pledges start to become policies that could have an effect on electrical safety as the new Government begins its work of introducing or amending

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Switched On, the first to be edited by Andrew Brister – welcome Andrew.

As always, we would welcome feedback on Switched On, to help us improve the content. Email feedback@esc.org.uk Phil Buckle

FROM THE NEW EDITOR… t’s a real privilege to be sitting in the editor’s chair for the first time during the production of this edition of Switched On. As this issue ably demonstrates, the Council is working hard on so many fronts to improve behaviours in terms of electrical safety, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

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I’d like to say a big thank you to my predecessor Mike Clark for all his hard work as editor of Switched On since its inception. Mike will remain central to Switched On in his role as technical director of the Council, contributing

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articles and coercing others to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, too.

I’m not new to the electrical industry, having edited Electrical & Mechanical Contractor magazine, in partnership with the Electrical Contractors’ Association, for more years than I care to remember. These are exciting times and I’m looking forward to helping the industry keep abreast of all that is going on in this fast-moving sector.

I welcome your comments, contributions and criticism. Please feel free to email on andrewbrister@ymail.com

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

Wëllkkom omm mm B Biienve nvvve enue nue Tervet T tuloa Benvenuto to Selamat mat d daataang nvenuto to Se Sela llam mat m at d daatta tang W Will Willko illkommen men Tere ttulem tull m mast a tM Mirë i ë se vjjen e ᎇ‫ט‬ Council taking a major role at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organisation (ICPHSO) see page 13

issue 17 Summer 2010

switchedon industry news

features

your insight into the electrical safety industry

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From the new editor…

Also, Welcome

11 Approved Cables Initiative Launched

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News in brief

12 Electrical Installation Forum – 17th

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Council sponsors TSI conference Also, Amendment No 1 to the

‘17th Edition’

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New model Electrical Installation Condition Reports being trialled

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The Essential Guide to the Wiring Regulations – offline version Also, Access to service fuses

Also, Sparks Expo

Edition guidance Also, Best Practice Guides

13 Council to take leading role at

international product safety symposium Also, Voltimum and Gambica sign anti-counterfeit charter

17 Industry revises AM2 competence standard

10 NICEIC Group Ltd – name change Also, Accident data analysis,

Preparations for launch of Electrical Information Hub in autumn

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

20 The UK smart meter roll-out and electrical safety issues

Plug into Safety: The ESC’s fiveyear RCD campaign

14 Downlighters: a burning issue?

16 Controlling domestic electrical appliances from a single switching position

18 Have you ever been asked… Can rewireable fuses still be used?

19 Overhead power lines Published by: The Electrical Safety Council Unit 1.10, Canterbury Court, Kennington Park Business Centre, 1 - 3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE www.esc.org.uk www.eschub.org.uk www.twothirtyvolts.org.uk www.switchedonkids.org.uk Tel: 0870 040 0561 Fax: 0870 040 0560 email: switchedon@esc.org.uk

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NEWS IN BRIEF “We are working with other trading standards services across the country to ensure that they are aware of the problems that this product poses so they can take their own action nationally. Hopefully the case will send a message to all suppliers of electrical products that they must take steps to satisfy themselves that the products they sell are safe.”

Laptop computer charging trolleys safety alert

Successful prosecution for supplier of unsafe travel adaptor Best Price 2 U Ltd has been fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,015 costs after being found guilty of possessing for sale an unsafe travel adaptor which presented “a serious risk of electric shock” to anyone using it. The verdict came after action by the Electrical Safety Council.

Best Price 2 U Ltd of Ray Park Avenue, Maidenhead was found guilty at Bracknell Magistrates Court on Wednesday 17 March to breaching section 12(1) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 in that the adaptor failed to comply with the Plugs and Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations 1994.

The court heard that in January 2009 the ESC contacted the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s trading standards team with a complaint about the safety of a Wonplug International All-InOne travel adaptor that had been purchased via the Amazon website from Best Price 2 U Ltd.

The HSE has issued a safety alert for the attention of schools that use laptop computer charging trolleys and those who manufacture or supply such products. The alert is intended to raise awareness of the potential electrical dangers and the steps to take to protect staff and pupils.

The alert was issued following an HSE investigation into an electric shock incident involving a laptop charging trolley which found that, when a 3-pin plug supplying the trolley was removed from the supply socket, there was sufficient stored electric charge on the pins of the plug to give the user an electric shock.

In addition, some trolleys have been identified that have two supply cables contrary to good electrical engineering practice, inadequate plug and cable storage facilities, and unsuitable earth terminations.

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He complained to Southwark's Trading Standards team who carried out its own tests. These confirmed the fault and also highlighted other dangers such as the absence of any fuse and accessibility to the bulb.

99p Stores had imported 17,000 of the nightlights and carried out a product recall in March. However, the court heard how they had failed to carry out adequate checks to ensure that the products imported complied with the Electrical (Equipment) Safety Regulations 1994.

The company had blamed their suppliers for switching delivery from a UK-based company to one in Hong Kong.

Electrium product recall Electrium is offering a free retrofit of a number of its Miniature Circuit Breakers that are not performing to the required characteristics and could potentially lead to a risk of burning in a small number of installations.

Following independent expert testing the adaptor was found to present a serious risk of electric shock to anyone using it.

Cllr Phill Bicknell, lead member for public protection, said: “This was a serious safety issue – members of the public could have been injured by the adaptor and, as the court recognised, Best Price 2 U Ltd, had no procedures in place to check whether the items were safe or not and had no proper record or recollection of who had supplied the items to it or when. At best their approach was slapdash – at worst it was negligent.

Tower Bridge Magistrates heard how in February 2009 a member of the public used one of the nightlights and, on removing it from the wall socket, found that one of the metal plug pins had broken off and remained protruding from the live wall socket.

‘Faulty electrics a death trap’

Although Electrium maintains that the immediate risk to a property is low, the company is undertaking a free retrofit of replacement parts in all affected premises.

The work must be carried out by a qualified competent electrician.

99p Stores Ltd, who have 112 stores around the UK, have been fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,919 after pleading guilty to selling a dangerous plug-in nightlight from its branch at Camberwell, London.

Electrium supplies several brands to the UK market. For details of affected products, please visit the following web page for assistance: www.mcbexchange.co.uk/electrium.

Alternatively, call 0844 5564787.

The full text of the HSE safety alert can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/services/ education/safety121009.htm

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COUNCIL SPONSORS TSI CONFERENCE he Council has sponsored the Trading Standards Institute’s successful conference and exhibition that took place in Edinburgh at Edinburgh International Conference Centre from Tuesday 15 June to Thursday 17 June 2010. The conference hosted interactive plenary sessions on each day, as well as 120 exhibition stands and 41 mini theatre training sessions.

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Through sponsoring the conference, the Council raised its profile in Scotland both with the enforcement community and government and helped to further strengthen its product safety credentials.

During the conference, the Council presented an overview of its role in supporting Trading Standards, in particular raising awareness of the results of recent findings from the ESC product testing programme. The Council also talked to Trading Standards Officers (TSOs) about the successful launch of the ESC’s microsite on the TS Interlink website and how it is used to facilitate ‘instant’ two-way communication with all TSOs and other users of the TS interlink system relating to electrical product safety issues.

AMENDMENT NO 1 TO THE ‘17TH EDITION’ – YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE he UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671: 2008, is being amended to further harmonise it with the equivalent European Standard*, which is itself based on an International Standard**.

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A Draft for Public Comment was published by the British Standards Institution in early June. This is an opportunity for everyone who has an interest in BS 7671 to comment on the proposed changes. The deadline for comments is 2 September.

There will, however, be limited scope for radical change to the draft. This is because the British Standard has to reflect the technical intent of the European Standard, and the various parts of that Standard have already been accepted by, or in some cases effectively imposed upon, the UK. Should you wish to comment on the proposed changes, the Draft for Public Comment can be downloaded free of charge from the IET website (www.theiet.org/technical). Alternatively, paper copies can be ordered from the IET or BSI at cost.

Following consideration of all comments received, BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1 is expected to be published on 1 July 2011 and, following a six-month transition period, to come into full effect for the design of installations on 1 January 2012.

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The amendments will not be published as a separate document, but will be incorporated in a new full version of the regulations which, for the first time, will be referred to as the ‘IET Wiring Regulations’. In accordance with tradition, the first amendment will have a green cover.

*CENELEC Harmonisation Document HD 60384: Electrical installations of buildings ** IEC Standard IEC 60364: Low voltage electrical installations

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NEW MODEL ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT FORMS CURRENTLY BEING TRIALLED s reported in previous issues of Switched On, the ESC has taken a number of initiatives in conjunction with others to help improve the general standard of domestic periodic inspection reporting.

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One of these initiatives was to propose changing the title, format and content of the model periodic inspection report form given in Appendix 6 of BS 7671 to make it more informative and easier for householders to understand, and to provide a framework to enable inspectors to report more clearly and comprehensively on the condition of an electrical installation.

Consequently, the committee responsible for the technical content of BS 7671 (Joint IET/BSI Committee JPEL64) has developed a new set of forms based on ESC proposals, which have recently been made available for trial purposes* in parallel with the Draft for Public Comment for Amendment 1.

The name of the report has been changed from ‘Periodic Inspection Report’ to ‘Electrical Installation Condition Report’, to make it more meaningful to recipients.

The classification codes to be used for each recorded observation have been made clearer and more direct, as follows: C1 - Danger present. Risk of injury.

• Code Immediate remedial action required C2 - Potentially dangerous - urgent • Code remedial action required • Code C3 - Improvement recommended

The condition of an electrical installation must be reported to be ‘unsatisfactory’ if any observation is classified as C1 or C2.

There is no separate code for ‘requires further investigation’ as it will be possible to indicate separately against each observation whether or not further investigation is required.

Also, there is no equivalent to the existing Recommendation Code 4, “Does not comply with BS 7671: 2008. This does not imply that the electrical installation inspected is unsafe.”

Such observations are no longer considered relevant for a report on the condition of an electrical installation, the purpose of which is to record any damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and noncompliance with the requirements on the current edition of BS 7671 which may give rise to danger. (Regulation 634.2).

As in the existing Periodic Inspection Report, the new Condition Report consists of three parts, but these are all now customdesigned for condition reporting purposes: generic, two-page summary recording, • Aamongst other things, who the report has been produced for, details of the installation inspected and the extent and limitations of the inspection; a summary of the condition of the installation, and the recommended remedial actions, together with the observations made that require action, together with their classification codes and whether or not each item requires further investigation

or more inspection schedules. There • One are three types: - An inspection schedule for a single distribution board installation for domestic and similar premises - An inspection schedule for the main intake and associated circuits for a multiple distribution board installation - An inspection schedule for each distribution board of a multiple distribution board installation Each schedule lists the elements of a typical installation, against which the outcome of their inspection (their condition) can be recorded. Outcomes can be ‘acceptable’ (tick), ‘unacceptable’ (code C1 or C2), ‘improvement recommended’ (code C3), ‘limitation’ or ‘not applicable’ (to the particular installation). A further column is provided to indicate whether or not further investigation of each item is required.

• A generic test results schedule.

As in the existing Periodic Inspection Report, there are brief guidance notes for both the recipient and the person producing the condition report.

There has already been criticism in some quarters that the new approach will result in more paperwork and checklists for inspectors to complete, but the new forms have been designed not only with the interests of the recipients in mind, but also to help inspectors produce clearer and more comprehensive condition reports. The completion of condition reports should not be viewed by inspectors as a ‘bureaucratic paper-chasing exercise’, but as a valuable and greatly improved professional service to their customers, for whose benefit the new forms have been designed. *Those wishing to see, download or trial the proposed new condition report forms can access them by visiting http://standardsproposals.bsigroup.com and then searching for ‘7671’. To make comments on them separately from the Draft for Public Comment for Amendment 1, it will be necessary to register with or log into the BSI ‘new proposal’ system on the BSI website. The closing date for comments on the proposals for Amendment 1 to BS 7671 is 2 September

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SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE WIRING REGULATIONS – DO YOU WANT AN OFFLINE VERSION ?

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he standard version of the Council’s Essential Guide to the Wiring Regulations is accessible online only, which means that users need to be connected to the internet whenever using it.

As at the end of April, only 50 or so users or potential users of the Guide have registered interest in an offline version through the electrical information hub at www.eschub.org.uk.

The ESC would still like to hear from users or potential users who would be interested in subscribing to an enhanced version of the Essential Guide that could also be used on laptops, netbooks etc offline when internet access is not available, such as may be the case when users are away from their office or base.

With such a relatively low level of interest, it is unlikely to be economically viable to develop an offline version.

However, the opportunity to register your interest in an offline version will remain open until the end of August, at which time a decision whether or not to proceed will be taken.

We will report the final outcome of this enquiry in the next issue of Switched On.

ACCESS TO SERVICE FUSES: STILL DENIED lectricians not directly employed by the electrical supply industry continue to be denied permission to use the distributor’s service fuse to isolate the incoming supply to domestic premises themselves in order to carry out work such as the replacement of consumer units safely and conveniently. As reported in the spring issue, this is in spite of the electrical installation industry’s efforts to get the supply industry to change its policy.

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Since then, the DCUSA* Working Group has published a guidance document ‘to aid non-industry parties in arranging deenergisation’. This is in the form of answers to ‘frequently asked questions’, which can be found at: www.dcusa.co.uk/Public/ Documents.aspx?t=11

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

The guidance is based on the supply industry’s existing policy, which is to require electricians to call upon the particular electricity supplier for the premises to arrange for their meter operator to carry out the necessary deenergisation and re-energisation process.

The guidance includes details of how to contact the relevant supplier.

Electrical installation bodies are expected to continue their efforts to get the supply industry to authorise competent electricians not directly employed in the supply industry to access service fuses in domestic premises as and when necessary, in the same way as they already authorise persons employed by meter operators.

* The Distribution, Connection and Use of System Agreement (DCUSA) is a multi-party contract between electricity distributors and electricity suppliers/retailers. It governs the main relationship between people who sell electricity and the owners of the networks that distribute it.

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Plug into Safety:

The ESC’s five-year RCD P

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The campaign is designed to encourage and help householders to reduce the risk of electrical accidents in their homes....

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lug into Safety, the Electrical Safety Council’s new flagship campaign, is to run over the next five years. The main aim of the extensive programme of work is to take RCDs into the mainstream – in much the same way that smoke alarms are now recognised and used by over 80% of the population. Its key message is simple: “RCD protection could save your life”.

The campaign is designed to encourage and help householders to reduce the risk of electrical accidents in their homes by ensuring they have RCD protection fitted.

Extensive industry research and a review of existing evidence indicates that: • more than half the homes in the UK – that’s 13 million - don’t have RCD protection installed • that every week in the UK someone dies in their home through an electrical-related accident; and that thousands of people are injured every year • on average, 19 people each year die in their homes from electrocution and in 2007, around 50% of fires (around 21,000) in domestic dwellings were attributed to an electrical cause • almost all electrocutions in the home and 20% of fires having an electrical origin (around 4,000) could potentially have been prevented if RCD protection had been present and in working order in their consumer units.

Plug into Safety will urge householders to take five minutes to carry out simple electrical safety checks including a review of RCD protection. Phil Buckle, director general at the Electrical Safety Council, said: “There couldn’t be a better time to launch the Plug into Safety campaign. Now is the time when

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many people will be getting out in the garden or doing DIY and using lots of power tools, and currently more than half of UK homes – that’s 13 million - don’t have RCD protection in their fusebox.

“It’s up to the industry to lead the way in encouraging householders to install RCDs and take basic safety measures so that UK families are protected from the potential dangers of electricity.”

The campaign will raise general awareness of electrical safety and encourage householders to: • Check plug sockets, electrical appliances, lighting and switches for any that are faulty or damaged • Consider upgrading to a modern fusebox with built-in RCDs or install plug-in RCDs • Contact a registered electrician with any concerns about electrical safety.

The Council wants to help and support the electrical industry to lead the way in encouraging householders to install RCDs. The public needs to be aware of the issues so that householders can take basic safety measures to protect themselves and their families from the hazards of electricity.

The ESC knows that the electrical industry is passionate about consumer safety and would welcome the opportunity to help promote it to their customers – and to support a campaign of this type.

The Council believes that electricians and others within the electrical industry such as electrical manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers can play a vital role as intermediaries to help reach people to deliver key messages about the use and benefits of RCD protection.

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

Media stories needed –

win an iPod Touch!

Have you suffered from an electric shock or electrical fire? Perhaps you ’ve been called in to help make a home safe after its owner has suffered from one? Share your story and help raise awareness about the importance of electrical safety in the home – and get the chance to win an ipod!

D campaign The ESC has developed a range of tools for intermediaries to use to engage with this campaign.

For example, a toolkit for electricians will provide their customers with impartial, user-friendly, practical, expert advice on electrical safety.

The toolkit includes a range of electrical safety guidance that electricians can pass on to their customers that will help explain to people the need for RCD protection and also provide householders with other simple messages and practical tips on electrical safety that could one day save their lives.

The Electrical Safety Counc il is looking for stories about electrical shocks or fires that could have bee n prevented by an RCD. Wh ether you’ve suffered yourself or are an electricia n who has witnessed the consequences - if you hav e a story to tell - please contact Jacqueline Cullet on on esc@forster.co.uk or 020 7403 2230.

Eligible stories will be entered into a free prize draw to win an ipod

‘Plug into Safety’ campaign toolkits will be available through wholesalers and other industry partners from mid-July onwards. For more information about the full range of activity involved in this campaign or to find out how to obtain the toolkit, go to www.esc.org.uk/rcd or email enquiries@esc.org.uk

To complement this activity, the ESC is promoting the safety benefits of RCDs when using electrical equipment for gardening or DIY. There will be partnerships with manufacturers of electrical products, who will provide advice in product packaging, and with retailers via in-store displays and activity that will encourage consumers to consider electrical safety when embarking on higher-risk activities.

With the support of electricians and others, we can help to overcome the key challenges facing this campaign and to help householders to understand the need for RCD protection.

The barriers include: • consumers’ lack of knowledge about what an RCD is and does • the perception of cost • the blasé attitude towards the safety risks…”it will never happen to me”.

A national and regional media campaign will run throughout this year to support the full range of campaign activity and to reinforce the key messages: in particular that “RCD protection could save your life”.

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

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NICEIC GROUP RENAMED ASCERTIVA scertiva Group Ltd is the new name for NICEIC Group Ltd , the trading subsidiary of the Electrical Safety Council.

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Ascertiva Group’s key brands remain NICEIC, the UK’s largest certification body for electrical contractors and NQA, a global management certification provider.

The “Ascertiva” brand is a composite name, representing the three main activities of the company: Assessment, Certification and Verification. It has been designed to be recognised internationally and the tick logo denotes the positive action of certification on industry, business and government.

“We have changed our name so that we can communicate effectively and conduct business at a Group level, without compromising our key brands,” explains Emma McCarthy, chief operating officer,

Ascertiva Group. “For our NICEIC and NQA customers it is very much business as usual.”

NICEIC and NQA are not affected by the name change and no customer will need to change company livery, letterheads or certificates. Ascertiva Group’s surplus is gift aided to its parent company , the Electrical Safety Council so it can fulfil its charitable aims.

For more details on the company log onto www.ascertiva.com

ROBUST ACCIDENT DATA ANALYSIS NEEDED he Council has been working to develop a robust data set that details the numbers of fires, deaths and injuries in the UK caused by electricity. Current government data on deaths is not held in a single place for the whole of the UK, and injury data has not been collected since the end of the Home Accident Surveillance System and Leisure Accident Surveillance System in 2002. RoSPA is leading a campaign to get this data collection reinstated, which is currently being piloted by the South West Health Observatory, work that the Electrical Safety Council strongly supports.

While the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) does hold accurate fires statistics, this is not published in full.

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Using data gathered from the World Health Organisation, we now know that in 2007, the last year for which full data is available, there were 19 deaths outside the workplace as a

result of electrocution and electrical burns. It is likely that the majority, if not all of these, could have been prevented by use of an RCD.

injuries, repairing devices which were plugged in (13% of injuries) and touching switches with wet hands (10% of injuries).

Working with the DCLG, it is now clear that there were over 21,000 household fires in 2007 as a result of misuse of, and faults with, electrical goods and products. This represents about half of all domestic fires in the UK.

Having such accurate data ensures that the Electrical Safety Council can target its work to areas where it can be most effective. This will also inform the public affairs work to encourage politicians to support measures to increase electrical safety in UK homes. It highlights that there is still work to be done to protect people from unsafe wiring and electrical goods, especially in fire prevention.

As mentioned earlier, no data is collected on the number of injuries as a result of electricity.

However, a recent survey by Ipsos-Mori on behalf of the Electrical Safety Council indicated that 12% of people in the UK had experienced a serious electric shock at home.

This includes shocks resulting in physical injury only, not just people feeling slight discomfort from an electrical current. The biggest causes of injuries were using faulty equipment, which accounted for 23% of

COUNCIL’S ELECTRICAL INFORMATION HUB SET FOR NOVEMBER REVAMP WWW.ESCHUB.ORG.UK evelopment is underway to provide the electrical trade and industry with a central reference source that will contain comprehensive technical information and guidance from ESC engineers.

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The ESC hub was launched in January this year and currently provides access to the Essential Guide to the Wiring Regulations – the definitive source of guidance to the Wiring Regulations. The rest of our industry

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publications remain on the Council’s main website at www.esc.org.uk. In order to provide clearer definition between its industry and consumer communications, the Council is expanding the content of the hub which will house all of the guidance that it currently produces and much more.

user-friendly on-line version of each current issue. It will be updated regularly with industry news and events and the topics raised via the industry forum will also be posted regularly. Users can register to receive regular news and articles direct from the Electrical Safety Council.

The Hub will grow to include the full range of Best Practice Guides, technical articles, back copies of Switched On magazine and a

The launch date for the Hub is November this year. Make sure to save it in your favourites!

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

APPROVED CABLES INITIATIVE LAUNCHED he Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) has been set up to investigate and address the issue of unsafe, non-approved and counterfeit cables in the UK marketplace.

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The UK market for electrical cables and systems has an approximate value of £2bn.

It is estimated that up to 20% of cable product in the cable systems supply chain is unsafe, non-approved or counterfeit. This results in major concerns for the entire industry, from manufacturer through

installer to end user, who may not even be aware of the significant health and safety threat it poses or the legal ramifications for the organisation or individual. The ACI, with industry and regulator support, will be looking to educate the electrical industry about purchasing and installing such cables

and raise awareness of the existence of unscrupulous manufacturers and distributors.

The launch, held in Westminster on 2 March 2010, was hosted by the British Cables Association (BCA) with widespread support from industry bodies including the Electrical Safety Council, the British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC), Electrical Distributors Association (EDA); Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), and the NICEIC. The ACI is urging the supply chain to routinely check cable markings and cable reels, looking in particular for a manufacturer’s identification that they recognise, so if there is a problem it will help to trace the cable back through the supply chain. It recommends using an independent third-party approved cable. If you sell, supply, or install unsafe cable, you contravene health and safety regulations, you could void insurances and could face serious criminal allegations which might result in a custodial sentence.

The ACI has pledged to educate the electrical supply chain through a communication programme of seminars, marketing material and articles to national

trade media. For suspect importers, manufacturers and distributors, the ACI will be direct in its approach to investigate and publicise the results. The ACI is also implementing a co-ordinated approach to Government to enforce and develop legislation ensuring that only cables that fully comply with British, European or International standards and carry a third party certification can be manufactured for sale, offered for sale, distributed or installed in the UK. The ACI will regularly test samples of cables suspected of being unsafe or non-approved, and if found to be unsafe details will be passed to the Police, Trading Standards and the Health and Safety Executive.

It is the intention of the ACI to name and shame any companies, wholesalers, distributors or installers who persistently use these dangerous, non-approved cables.

However, the ACI would hope that by highlighting the issue to the industry these companies will voluntarily start to adopt safe and approved cables.

The ACI welcomes any examples of suspect faulty, non-approved or counterfeit cables.

These can be sent to ACI for testing and advice by contacting ACI at report@aci.org.uk or on 01908 267300.

SUCCESS FOR COUNCIL AT SPARKS EXPO he Electrical Safety Council exhibited at the Sparks Expo for the first time in April.

The event was aimed at apprentice electricians and was attended by around 2,000 apprentices and their lecturers.

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The Council held two seminars on safe isolation procedures which were attended by over 100 apprentices over the two days, SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

’Lock-out kits’ Tim Benstead, Senior Engineer talks to young apprentices at which lock-out kits were distributed to attendees. The purpose was to convey the importance of safety, both for the

The reason for attending was the belief that, by developing a closer relationship with young electricians, the ESC can provide guidance and knowledge to them throughout the course of their careers in the electrical industry. Raising awareness of Council resources to lecturers was also key and all the lecturers were very complimentary about ESC Best Practice Guides and Switched On magazine and considered the Essential Guide a valuable teaching resource.

electricians themselves but also for their colleagues and customers during their future careers.

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ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION FORUM – 17TH EDITION GUIDANCE

he answers to several new commonlyasked questions have been added to the Forum’s website since the previous issue of Switched On was published, including:

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I use an electrical connector having • Can ‘push fit’ connections that the manufacturer claims are maintenance free in an area that will be inaccessible when the installation is complete?

conductor is employed, does the designer: a) need to verify that in the event of a fault, line to armour or line to cable management system, the associated disconnection time is met? b) need to verify the suitability of the crosssectional area of the armour or cable management system for the earth fault current?

the designer of an electrical • When installation does not intend the steel wire

replacing a consumer unit, it is found • After that there is a shared neutral between the

armour of a cable, or a metallic cable management system such as conduit or trunking, to be used as a circuit protective conductor, and a separate protective

upstairs and downstairs lighting circuits.

Can the lighting be put onto one circuit to avoid the RCD tripping if the homeowner will not pay to rectify a pre-existing fault?

In addition, a revised answer has been given to the previously-published question “Is a cooker switch or cooker control unit required to be provided as means of emergency switching for an electric cooker?” (NDQ35) For the industry-agreed answers to these and many other commonly-asked questions relating to the application of the 17th Edition, please visit www.esc.org.uk/forum The ESC recommends that those following the guidance provided by the Forum visit the site at least every couple of months to see what other additions and amendments have been made.

BEST PRACTICE GUIDES: AN UPDATE est Practice Guide No 1 Replacing a consumer unit in domestic premises where lighting circuits have no protective conductor has been updated, and supersedes the original issue. The latest version of the Guide, Issue 2, was published on the main ESC website in April.

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Work is due to start on updating two other published Best Practice Guides: BPG3 on the subject of connecting microgeneration

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systems to domestic electrical installations, and BPG4 on the subject of domestic periodic inspection reporting (condition reporting).

Progress on the development of these new and amended Guides will be reported in the next issue of Switched On.

Work has commenced on two new Best Practice Guides, one on the subject of the accuracy and consistency of electrical installation test instruments, and the other on the limitations of some types of plug-in socket-outlet test devices.

All our Best Practice Guides can be viewed at, or downloaded from the ‘Business and Community’ section of our main website, www.esc.org.uk.

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

COUNCIL TO TAKE LEADING ROLE AT INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT SAFETY SYMPOSIUM to market surveillance in the • Approaches EU and in non-EU countries for injury reporting systems and • Need injury databases • Emerging hazards and vulnerable people • Development of standards and policies The Council is taking the lead role in the plenary session on counterfeiting. It will also be presenting at other plenary sessions and breakout sessions, as well as being an exhibitor at the event.

Wëllkkom omm mm B Biienve nvvve enue nue Tervet T tuloa Benvenuto to Selamat mat d daataan venuto to Se Sela llam mat m at d daatta tang W Will Willko illkommen men Tere ttulem tull m mast a tM Mirë i ë se vjjen e ᎇ n order to continue to raise the profile of the ESC’s product safety activities in the UK, Europe and internationally, the Council will be taking a major role at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organisation (ICPHSO) symposium in London in November.

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The theme for the 2010 symposium ‘The Evolution of product safety in the EU and beyond: the threats it faces and its adaptability to the increasingly distended supply chain’ recognises the need for the product safety community to share information and to discuss workable solutions for improving the safety of electrical products in a globalised marketplace.

The event, to be held at Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, Green Park, London on 29 – 30

November, will provide an opportunity for product safety professionals and consumer champions from all over the world to share information, exchange ideas and discuss issues of a common concern.

Over the two days a wide range of topics will be discussed through a mix of plenary sessions and interactive breakout sessions.

Although not yet finalised, the programme is expected to raise awareness of and promote active debate on product safety issues such as:

• and need for information • Co-operation exchange and non-compliant • Counterfeiting products History of product safety in the EU

ICPHSO, of which the Council is a member, holds a unique position in its ability to attract the interest of a broad range of health and safety professionals and interested consumers, world-wide. The organisation provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and sharing of information among government, industry, trade organisations, legal representatives, academia, standards writers, consumer advocates and interested individuals.

The event promises to be the definitive view on electrical product safety and is open to everyone, but please note that registrations are as always limited.

For further information on the symposium and updates on the event programme keep an eye on the website www.esc.org.uk. And, to book your place at the event visit the ICPHSO website www.icphso.org.

VOLTIMUM AND GAMBICA ARE THE LATEST TO SIGN ANTI-COUNTERFEIT CHARTER oltimum and GAMBICA have become the newest signatories of the industry charter to combat the trade in counterfeit electrical products and the proliferation of equipment that fails to comply with the appropriate standards.

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The charter was introduced in 2008 by BEAMA (British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association), the EDA (Electrical Distributors’ Association), ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) and SELECT (Scotland’s trade association for the SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

electrical, electronics and communications systems industry).

dangerous or sub-standard equipment from the UK market.

Since then, many leading industry organisations have added their name to the charter, including the Electrical Safety Council, alongside BASEC, LIF, BCA, Intertek, Alliance Against IP Theft, Trading Standards Institute and now Voltimum and GAMBICA.

The electrical industry sees the charter as a major move forwards in combating the counterfeiters – a unified front encompassing the associations working together on practical and effective solutions to stem the threat from counterfeit and non-compliant electrical products.

The charter commits signatory members to refuse to trade in counterfeit or noncompliant products. The aim is to drive

For more information visit www.counterfeit-kills.com

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DOWNLIGHTERS We look at the issues surrounding the potentially combustible mix of downlighters and thermal insulation f downlighters are covered with thermal insulation, such as can occur in loft spaces, a fire hazard can be created due to overheating of the lamp and the presence of fuel for combustion.

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The obvious source of ignition in a downlighter is the hot lamp. However, this may not be the only cause of ignition, as prolonged exposure to high temperatures via conduction or convection will cause potentially combustible materials around the lamp to become completely dried out and prone to ignition. A common example is where downlighters sited too close to roof timbers cause localised charring.

and cooking fat. These materials are drawn up through the downlighter, which acts as a hot chimney into the loft space.

Keeping thermal insulation clear of downlighters, and keeping downlighters clear of combustible materials such as roof timbers, is an obvious first step in preventing a fire risk.

However, it is clear that vermin disturbance and ventilation within a loft, as well as the activities of the householder can, and do, cause insulation materials to be disturbed, which may then come into contact with the downlighter.

The strange smell that may be experienced when a downlighter is switched on after a period of non-use, often results from the primary ignition of dust particles on the lamp surface. This can be the source of a fire if other combustible elements are available to allow the fire to propagate.

The problem is exacerbated when certain loose-fill insulation materials are present that may lose their fire-retardant properties if subjected to heating over an extended period. Consequently, simply leaving a gap between thermal insulation and downlighters may not be a long-term solution to the problem.

Dust build-up on the lamp can occur from both above the lamp such as from particles in the loft space, or from below the lamp in the form of household dust, hair, cobwebs

A long-term and effective solution is to isolate the downlighter from the surrounding materials whilst ensuring that this does not cause overheating of the downlighter.

Loose-fill insulation covering downlighter (courtesy of Tenmat)

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Product standards in the USA and other countries have produced a range of 100% safe manufactured solutions for downlighters. In the USA, these are termed IC rated downlighters, the IC standing for Insulation Compatible.

In the UK, such downlighters, often referred to as ‘capped-F’, are covered by the BS EN 60598.1 and BS EN 60598.2.2 product standards. These downlighters have previously been marked with the capped-F logo, meaning that it has been confirmed by testing that either the downlighter itself, or the downlighter fitted with an appropriate cover, is suitable for use when covered with insulation.

Capped-F logo

The vast majority of replacement lamps now available for downlighters are the dichroic reflector type rather than the aluminium reflector type. Dichroic lamps are designed to dissipate most of the heat through the back rather than in the direction of the light beam, and so increase the temperature at potential ignition points of the downlighter.

A long-term solution is to isolate the downlighter from the surrounding materials whilst ensuring that this does not cause overheating of the downlighter (courtesy of Tenmat) SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

a BURNING ISSUE? Therefore, to provide a long-term and firesafe solution for downlighters penetrating an insulated loft space, then any downlighter or downlighter cover should be of the type that has been tested and approved for safe operation when covered with thermal insulation and when fitted with the highest available wattage of dichroic lamp (generally 50 W), as such a lamp is likely to be fitted at some future time.

A common misunderstanding in this area is that fire-rated downlighters and fire-rated downlighter covers are always safe for use when covered with insulation. This is not generally the case. Fire-rated downlighters and fire-rated covers cannot be assumed to be suitable for being covered with insulation unless the products they have been specifically tested and approved for such use.

Conversely, however, downlighters and covers that are suitable for use when covered with insulation are often fire-rated.

spaces, which has led to many downlighters being covered in insulation.

For loft insulation to function as intended, it should ideally be fitted to be continuous and uninterrupted across the loft space. Building Regulations do not prohibit leaving a small area around downlighters free from insulation where it is necessary to permit the dissipation of the heat they generate if measures are taken to mitigate the reduction in insulation. However, such gaps in the thermal insulation can significantly reduce its overall effectiveness.

The fitting of a suitable capped-F downlighter or downlighter cover allows the insulation to be continuous and provides almost the same thermal performance as for a ceiling without downlighters. This energysaving benefit is additional to the fire safety benefits gained by installing fire-rated downlighters or covers.

Energy efficiency Downlighters can act as hot chimneys, drawing heat out of living areas into loft

Thanks to Tenmat for its help in the production of this article.

Checklist for downlighters penetrating an insulated loft 1) Check that the downlighters are of the type that has been fully approved and tested for being covered in insulation – that is, fully tested and approved to the BS EN 60598.1 and BS EN 60598.2.2 product standards.

Standard fire-rated downlighters and fire-rated hoods are generally unsuitable for covering with insulation.

2) If the downlighters are not fully approved and tested for being covered with insulation, they should be replaced with appropriate products or protected with a downlighter cover which is fully approved to be covered with thermal insulation.

3) Check that the downlighter or downlighter cover is of a type that has been fully tested with the highest wattage dichroic lamp available (generally 50 W ).

LIGHTING ASSOCIATION ISSUES TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON DOWNLIGHTERS: LATB 10.07 he Lighting Association has issued a technical bulletin to members following an article in the winter 2009 edition of Switched On.

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LATB 10.07 Downlighters – can they be a fire hazard? has been issued after the Lighting Association’s Technical Committee met to discuss the article and referenced report in Switched On. The technical bulletin advises members that: should comply to • Downlights EN 60598-1

SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

should be correctly marked • Downlights with maximum lamp wattage and

such that it is visible above the ceiling after installation.

appropriate symbols instructions should contain • Installation information on the clearance required such that insulation is not placed around or over the downlight (unless the downlight is suitable for such use).

The LA recommends that members upgrade their marking to comply with the 2008 edition of EN 60598-1. This edition gives an improved symbol for downlights not suitable for covering with insulation which has minimum size requirements

It also includes a new symbol for downlights not suitable for normally flammable ceilings.

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CONTROLLING DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES FROM A SINGLE SWITCHING POSITION itchen designers sometimes ask for the electrical appliances in a kitchen – such as the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge, freezer and microwave oven – to be controlled from a single switching position located in the kitchen.

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The electrical installation designer is then tasked with designing a circuit, or a number of circuits, arranged so that the supplies to all the appliances are switched at one position. Final connections are provided by outlets adjacent to each appliance. The type of outlet should generally be either a 13 A socket-outlet or a 13 A switched fused connection unit, as these provide a means of switching off for mechanical maintenance where necessary.

There are a number of ways that the kitchen designer’s requirement for the appliances switched from a single position can be met, either with radial final circuits or with one or more adapted ring final circuits.

Radial final circuit solutions With radial final circuits, protection against overload can be achieved simply, by applying the requirements of Regulations 433.1.1 to 433.1.3 relating to co-ordination between the design current of the circuit, the rated current of overload protective

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device (fuse or overcurrent circuit-breaker) and the current-carrying capacity of conductors.

One solution would be to run a single radial circuit from the consumer unit to a ganged switch arrangement with fuses, where the circuit would branch to supply individual appliances. However, there may be practical difficulties terminating the conductors of the circuit at the switch position due to their required cross-sectional area (csa) being relatively large.

Alternatively, a separate radial circuit could be run from the consumer unit to each appliance, via a common grouped switch position. The main advantage with this solution is that a fault on one radial circuit would not affect the supply to other radial circuits.

A similar solution also employs the adapted ring final circuit but uses ganged switches with fuses at the grouped position. This solution may have the added advantage of permitting smaller csa conductors for the spurs.

However, for each of the above ring circuit solutions, because the multiple switch arrangement represents a ‘fixed load’ on the circuit at the grouped switch position, it would be unwise to rely on the ‘deemed to comply’ status for such circuits regarding overload protection. Regulation 433.1.5 indicates that, for a ring final circuit, the requirements for overload protection are deemed to be met only if all the stated conditions are met. As a consequence, the electrical installation designer could have some difficulty in establishing that protection against overload has been achieved for an adapted ring final circuit.

Adapted ring final circuit solutions As an alternative to radial final circuits, a solution adopted by some electrical installation designers is to adapt a ring final circuit to supply a multiple (ganged) switch position. From the switch position, spurs (cable branches) supply socket outlets or fused connection units adjacent to each appliance.

Indeed, there are circumstances where it can be seen that protection against overload is not achieved with an adapted ring final circuit.

For example, two of the conditions of Regulation 433.1.5 are that the currentcarrying capacity (Iz) of the cable is not less than 20 A and, under the intended SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

conditions of use, the load current in any part of the ring is unlikely to exceed Iz for long periods. Suppose the circuit was wired in 2.5/1.5 mm2 (twin and earth) pvcinsulated and sheathed flat cable to BS 6004 installed directly in a thermally insulated stud wall and in contact with the inner surface of the wall (Reference Method 102), the highest ambient temperature being 30 oC, such that the current-carrying capacity (Iz) of the cable was 21 A (column 4 of Table 4D5A of BS 7671 Appendix 4 refers).

If the steady state load current in the ring final circuit at the grouped switching position was 32 A, and the switching position was located at a point less than one-third of the total ring loop length from the origin of the circuit, the current-carrying capacity of the cable would be exceeded, but the 32 A overcurrent protective device of the circuit would not operate.

Enclosures containing live parts of more than one circuit Where an enclosure contains live parts not capable of being isolated by a single device, for example, a ganged switch arrangement containing a number of circuits (as mentioned above), Regulation 514.11.1 (by

reference to Regulation 537.2.1.3) requires a durable warning notice to be provided to alert a person to the need for isolation at all the necessary points before gaining access to the live parts. The notice need not be normally visible, so long as it becomes visible before access to live parts is possible.

Single switching positions in summary Either radial circuits or adapted ring final circuits may provide a solution for controlling several electrical appliances from a single switching position.

Radial circuits generally provide a more flexible solution than adapted ring final circuits.

However, depending on the particular arrangement adopted, terminating conductors of larger csa may be a problem.

With adapted ring final circuits, the effect of the load current at the grouped switching position on the distribution of currents in the ring must be fully assessed.

Where an enclosure contains live parts of more than one circuit, installers must ensure that persons are suitably warned by notices of the hazards prior to gaining access to live parts

INDUSTRY REVISES AM2 COMPETENCE STANDARD he electrical industry has thrown its full weight behind the new AM2 Assessment of Occupational Competence (AOC), launched in April by NET (National Electrotechnical Training). This is recognised as the electrical industry’s benchmark for an individual’s competence.

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“This launch is the culmination of two years of industry consultation,” said NET’s business development manager, Stephen Plant. “The new AM2 has been designed by the industry, for the industry. We are confident that the modifications will reinforce it as the stamp to show that its holders and their employers are capable of providing the highest possible level of service to clients in today’s environment.”

There are many changes to the new standard that came in on 12 April this year.

Some of the major amendments are: become competence based (as • Has opposed to systems based) has four sections; three practical • Now and one theoretical first three sections cover the • The interpretation of specifications, drawings and diagrams; installation and termination of identified wiring systems; safe isolation; risk assessment;

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inspection, testing and certification; as well as diagnosis and correction of electrical faults. The fourth part is a 60 minute multi-choice questionnaire isolation section is now a 100% • Safe pass requirement and testing is now carried • Inspection out to Wiring Regs documentation • Greater degree of live testing or specialist materials have been • Old removed – eg there is no longer any pyro cable addition of a Renewable Energy • The System, Data cabling Candidate self-assessment • Guidance: checklist new marking and administration • Asystem.

13A socket outlet ring circuit • Ain BSPVC1363singles cable carbon monoxide detector safety • Aservice circuit in FP200 type cable • Data outlets circuit in Cat. 5 cable 16A socket outlet in • AXLPEBS ENSWA60309 cable equipotential bonding to gas • Protective and water services 3-phase direct on line motor/starter • Acircuit in SY cable S Plan central heating and hot water • Ansystem with a solar thermal sustainable energy element utilising heat resistant flexible cable and PVC singles cable.

More information about the new AM2 assessment and the Scottish FICA assessment is available on the redesigned NET website at www.netservices.org.uk.

Candidates are expected to install the following circuits in accordance with industry-recognised procedures, working practices and the requirements of statutory and non-statutory regulations: devices in a TP&N distribution • Protective board two-way and intermediate lighting • Acircuit in PVC/PVC multi-core cable

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HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED …

CAN REWIREABLE FUSES STILL BE USED? ewireable (semi-enclosed) fuses to BS 3036 are commonly found in consumer units, distribution boards and other switchgear in older domestic and non domestic installations – particularly installations more than 20 years old.

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Where an installation having rewireable fuses is periodically inspected, altered or extended, the inspector or designer (as applicable) will have to consider whether BS 7671 still allows such fuses to be used, or whether they should be replaced with circuit breakers or cartridge fuses.

Drawing courtesy of British Standards Institution

Can rewireable fuses still be used?

In a word, yes.

BS 7671 permits the use of rewireable fuses complying with BS 3036 (although Regulation 533.1.1.3 prefers fuses to be of the cartridge type). Therefore, rewireable fuses can still be used, for existing and new installations.

Related considerations A number of considerations relating to the use of rewireable fuses are listed below.

Maintainability With rewireable fuses there is a risk of the fuse wire being replaced, inadvertently or deliberately, with one having a higher fusing current than intended for the circuit, resulting in reduced effectiveness of the protection given by the fuse.

This risk is usually acceptably low, even in domestic premises. Many millions of rewireable fuses have provided satisfactory service in the UK over many years.

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Nevertheless, the inspector/designer should assess the degree of risk, to help him/her judge if there are any special circumstances that would make rewireable fuses unacceptable in the particular installation.

Account should be taken of an assessment of the frequency and quality of maintenance that the installation can reasonably be expected to receive, which is called for by Regulation 341.1.

Fusing factor BS 3036 allows a rewireable fuse to have a fusing factor (the ratio of the minimum fusing current to the rated current) of up to 2.0. This value is higher than the typical value of 1.25 to 1.6 for other types of device commonly used for overload protection (such as fuses to BS 1361 or BS 88, and circuit breakers to BS EN 60898 or BS EN 60947 2), depending on the type.

To compensate for this high fusing factor where a rewireable fuse is used for overload protection, Regulation 433.1.3 requires the current-carrying capacity of the circuit cable to be not less than In divided by 0.725 (where In is the rated current of the fuse). This can mean that a larger cable size is needed than if another type of overload protective device of the same rated current had been used.

However, this is not the case for a 30 A or 32 A ring final circuit, where Regulation 433.1.5 allows a minimum size of 2.5 mm2 (copper) for the line and neutral conductors of the circuit, even if the protective device is a BS 3036 rewireable fuse (rated at 30 A).

The requirement for the cable currentcarrying capacity to be not less than In divided by 0.725 does not apply for a circuit where overload protection may be omitted (see Regulation Group 433.3). An example is a circuit supplying only an electric heater, as the circuit would be unlikely to carry overload current (Regulation 433.3.1(ii) refers).

However, the cable must still have a current carrying capacity of not less than the load current (I∆), and protection against fault current must still be provided for the cable (Section 434 of BS 7671 refers).

typically 6 kA or more for modern circuitbreakers to BS EN 60898, or over 16.5 kA for cartridge fuses to BS 1361 or BS 88, depending on type.

Table 1 – Rated breaking capacity of BS 3036 rewireable fuses Category of duty

Breaking capacity

S1A

1 kA

(at 0.8 to 0.9 power factor, lagging)

S2A

2 kA

(at 0.7 to 0.8 power factor, lagging)

S4A

4 kA

(at 0.7 to 0.8 power factor, lagging)

Notes: 1. BS 3036 fuses in consumer units typically have a rated short-circuit breaking capacity of 2 kA. 2. BS 3036 fuses are also tested in circuits with a power factor of 0.4 to 0.5 lagging at a current of between 5 and 7 times the minimum fusing current No less than any other fault current protective device type, rewireable fuses must be chosen to meet the breaking capacity requirements of Regulation 434.5.1. That is to say, the rated short circuit breaking capacity must be not less than the maximum prospective fault current at the point where the fuse is installed, except where back up protection meeting specified requirements is provided by another device. It can be difficult to meet the requirements of Regulation 434.5.1 using BS 3036 fuses, due to their low breaking capacity, shown in Table 1.

However, where incorporated in a consumer unit, BS 3036 rewireable fuses are considered adequate for prospective fault currents of up to 16 kA, provided the consumer unit: to BS EN 60439-3 including • conforms Annex ZA, and fed by a single-phase supply of nominal • isvoltage 230 V through a service cut-out having an HBC fuse to BS 1361 Type II, rated at not more than 100 A.

Breaking capacity rating

Use by ‘ordinary persons’

BS 3036 rewireable fuses have a relatively low short-circuit breaking capacity rating, as shown in Table 1. This compares with

Some inspectors and designers may have wondered whether the words in bold in the following extract from Regulation 533.1.1.2 SwitchedOn Issue 17 - Summer 2010

Asbestos

rule out rewireable fuses where these will be used by ordinary persons: Fuses having fuse links likely to be removed or replaced by persons other than or instructed persons or skilled persons shall be of a type which complies with the safety requirements of BS 88.

Asbestos forms part of the fuse assemblies of some older types of fuseboard and consumer unit. Fibres from the asbestos can pose a risk of lung cancer and lung diseases to anyone working on or removing such equipment.

However, this is not the intention of the regulation. To clarify this, it is expected that the regulation will be revised as part of Amendment No 1 to BS 7671, due to be issued in mid 2011, so that the words in bold above will be replaced by ‘complies with BS 88-3 or BS 3036’.

Guidance on safe replacement of the equipment is given in Publication a 33 – Replacing an asbestos containing fuse box or a single fuse assembly, issued by the Health Safety Executive. This may be downloaded free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns /guidance/a33.pdf

TAKE CARE NEAR OVERHEAD POWER LINES he Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers and employees, particularly outdoor workers, to be wary of overhead power lines.

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This follows the prosecution of three companies in the last quarter of 2009 that exposed workers to the dangers of working near high voltage (HV)* overhead power lines.

In total, the companies were fined £31,600 and ordered to pay costs totalling £30,190.

The three separate incidents involved contact with live HV overhead power lines by a ladder, the telescopic mechanical arm of a telehandler and the extending arm of a waste tipping vehicle. Two incidents involved 11 kV lines and the other a 33 kV line.

Although nobody was killed, five workers suffered burns. One worker’s foot was so badly damaged by the current flowing through him to earth that he had to have one toe and part of another toe amputated.

Company responsibilities Companies are required to ensure that all employees are adequately trained and supervised with regard to the hazards to which they may be exposed whilst at work, but especially young employees, who statistically are more at risk of injury in the workplace.

Overhead power lines, like any energised electrical system, are a potential danger.

Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) requires that any work carried out near such systems should not give rise to danger.

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Failure of companies to recognise workplace hazards, such as the dangers of electricity, puts the lives of their employees at risk. In 2007/08, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1995** (those requiring over three days off work), there were 433 reported injuries to employees that involved contact with electricity or electrical discharge, nine of which were fatal.

HSE Guidance Note GS6 Avoidance of danger from overhead electric power lines**** recommends protective measures to reduce the risk of contact with overhead lines. GS6 recommends that to prevent the passage of machinery under overhead power lines, ground level barriers, such as 40 gallon rubble filled oil drums, should be positioned at regular intervals parallel to, but at least 6m horizontally from the nearest overhead power line.

Electrical safety guidance

Additionally, to provide further indication to machine operators of the presence of overhead power lines, GS6 recommends the erection of non-conducting goal posts linked by a line of coloured flags mounted at an appropriate height immediately over the ground level barriers (Fig 1).

It is important to remember that HV power lines do not need to be touched for electricity to be conducted to a body or metallic implement – high voltage electricity can arc or jump across air gaps.

Generally, where work near live overhead power lines is unavoidable, a safe working distance should be maintained. The HSE guidance sheet Working safely near overhead power lines (Agriculture information sheet No 8)*** recommends that, when using machinery near wooden poles carrying overhead power lines, a ground level safe working distance of at least 9 m horizontally from the nearest overhead power line is maintained.

It may be advisable to adopt the 9m guidance as a general workplace rule.

However, where work involves machinery with telescopic or folding arms the safe working distance may need increasing above 9m. Consideration should be given to the height of the particular machine and the potential extension of the arm.

Fig 1 Power Line Warning

DANGER OVERHEAD LINES

DANGER OF DEATH

DANGER OF DEATH

DANGER OF DEATH

* High voltage, for alternating current (a.c.), means any rms voltage exceeding 1000 V between line conductors or 600 V between line conductors and earth. ** This statistical information can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/tables/kind3.htm *** This document can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais8.pdf **** This document can be down loaded from http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/gs6.htm

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THE UK SMART METER ROLL-OUT PROGRAMME AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY ISSUES n the spring issue of Switched On, we questioned whether the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would be taken for electrically competent persons to check, and as necessary improve, the condition of the electrical intake arrangements when fitting smart electricity meters in all 26 million domestic premises in the UK over the next 10 years.

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At the end of April, we were advised that Ofgem E-Serve would be arranging a series of workshops with interested parties including the Energy Networks Association, the Energy Retail Association, the Association of Meter Operators and the Health and Safety Executive to discuss safety issues relating to the installation of smart meters. Other participants including the Electrical Safety Council are being considered.

The Energy Networks Association (ENA), the industry body for UK energy transmission and distribution licence holders and operators, working with the Association of Meter Operators (AMO), has already identified a number of safety and operational issues that will need to be taken into consideration during the smart meter roll-out programme, including: of service position • ownership equipment of service position faults, • identification such as damaged distribution and supplier-owned equipment

of polarity at the point of • verification meter change • inappropriate meter/service positions • communal cupboards/meter positions • asbestos meter boards • damaged meter boxes • access for temporary disconnection

• lateral and rising mains • replacement of meter tails • earth connections • signs of overheating for the future inspection • arrangements of distribution-owned equipment and competence of meter • training installers of all remaining pre-1937 • replacement cut-outs with a fused neutral process of installation and • anmeteragreed installer checklists risk assessments for various • documented installation types defect reporting and • simplified rectification processes.

Through the work conducted so far, the ENA has also identified a number of opportunities for distributors, including: with meter operators and other • working players to ensure the best experience for the consumer by making the installation experience as simple as possible concerns and issues raised by • addressing other parties represented at the safety meetings with issues which become • dealing apparent before and during roll-out of

Because MOCOPA is the agreement between DNOs and Meter Operators for work conducted at the service/meter position, it is likely that once the outstanding issues have been resolved, they will be documented within the MOCOPA Agreement and used to provide guidance for installers before and during the smart meter roll-out programme.

There is a considerable amount of discussion between all interested parties and, as a result, decisions and agreements are moving quickly. We will be reporting further on the electrical safety issues relating to the smart meter roll-out programme in future issues of Switched On.

the meter programme that the service position is left • ensuring in a safe and, where possible, improved condition known issues with • correcting distribution networks.

In addition to the workshops organised by Ofgem E-Serve, meetings are also taking place between Distribution Network Operators, Meter Operators and the HSE. These workshops are steered by the ENA

BACK ISSUES OF SWITCHED ON

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and the AMO under the auspices of MOCOPA*. These discussions are aimed at answering outstanding questions and establishing a position that all interested parties can sign up to.

*The Meter Operation Code of Practice Agreement (MOCOPA) is an agreement between electricity distribution businesses and electricity meter operators in Great Britain.

The agreement authorises meter operators to install and connect meters to the electricity network by clarifying that the equipment being provided, installed and maintained meets appropriate technical requirements and that work is carried out to adequate safety standards.

All the previous issues of Switched On are available to read or download from the ‘Business & Community’ section of our website.