switched on issue 16

Issue16 | Spring 2010 | £5.00

Lethal charge?Are cheap plug-in chargersputting consumers at risk? www.esc.org.uk

BFU-SwitchedOn16_v6.qxd 19/2/10 16:26

WELCOME

FROM THE OUTGOING EDITOR …..

It will be spring when you see this edition of

Switched On but, at the time of writing, the

country is in chaos due to heavy snow falls

and icy roads. I hope the bad weather is not

a portent for further gloom in the economy,

and that the remainder of the year brings

greater opportunity for all of us.

This is a general election year and anytime

now Gordon Brown will be seeking

re-election. The campaigning that has

already started will increase in intensity as

the political parties seek to win our votes.

Whoever wins the election - and there may

already be a new government in place by the

time you read this – it’s certain that further

economic measures will have to be taken to

reduce the UK’s budget deficit. This will have

an impact on all of us including the Electrical

Safety Council, as the level of funding for the

safety initiatives we run may not be as high

as in previous years.

Whilst a reduction in funding will present the

Council and many other UK charities with

challenges, we will endeavour to continue to

develop our range of safety initiatives for the

benefit of all UK consumers.

Following my appointment as Director

General, the Council’s governing document

was reviewed as part of the charity’s

programme of modernisation.

Subject to the outcome of an Extraordinary

General Meeting in March of this year, the

Council’s Trustees will become the Council

Members. Any new Trustees will then be

selected in accordance with the Charity

Commission’s guidelines rather than being

nominated by a relatively small number

of organisations.

The changes will bring the Council into line

with good governance in the voluntary

sector and provide the opportunity to select

new Trustees from a wider range of

stakeholder organisations.

Access to individuals from other organisations

will allow the charity to complement the skills

and experience of existing Trustees as we

develop our remit in accordance with the

corporate strategy. This is important, as we are

currently considering whether the Council

should extend its safety remit to include other

energy sources.

We continue to develop our profile at

Westminster, where one of our greatest

supporters has been Baroness Jenny Tonge.

Baroness Tonge experienced first hand the

tragic consequences of a sub-standard

electrical installation, when her daughter

died as a result of touching a utensil rack

that had become live due to one of its

fixing screws penetrating a cable concealed

in an unexpected position in the kitchen

wall. Determined that such an accident

should not befall another family, the

Baroness has been providing us with much

help and advice.

I am now delighted to announce that

Baroness Tonge has agreed to become

Patron of the Electrical Safety Council, a

role she will be taking up later this year.

Her ongoing support in this new role

will, I’m sure, further increase awareness

of the Council amongst politicians and

civil servants.

I hope you enjoy reading this spring issue of

Switched On. From the summer issue, we will

be benefitting from the editorial services of

Andrew Brister who, until the end of last year,

was editor of the Electrical and Mechanical

Contractor magazine.

This change will provide more time for Mike

Clark, our Technical Director and seasoned

hack, to oversee the extension of the charity’s

safety activities into new technical areas.

I would like to thank Mike for producing all

the issues of Switched On over the past four

and a half years, though I’m pleased to say

that, whilst he will be handing over the

editorial baton, he will still be contributing

articles on a regular basis.

As always, we would welcome feedback on

Switched On, to help us improve the

content. Email [email protected]

Phil Buckle

Having been the editor of all

the previous 15 issues of

Switched On, it’s with mixed

feelings that I hand over to my

successor, Andrew Brister, to take

the magazine forward.

I say with mixed feelings because,

whilst I’ve always enjoyed

the challenge of fitting the

work around my day job as

Technical Director, the magazine

has been quite a handful for a

mere engineer!

At least developments in desktop

publishing technology have

helped – when I first became a

magazine editor in 1993, changing

the layout was literally a matter of

cutting and pasting, using scissors

and glue!

The positive feedback from readers

over the years has always been a

great encouragement to me and

my team. Thanks very much.

My involvement with Switched On

is not being severed entirely

though, as my engineering team

and I will continue to contribute

technical and other articles of

interest. Mike Clark

2 SwitchedOn


SwitchedOn 3

Your Essential Guide to the Wiring Regulations see page 6

industry news

2

4

5

6

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

features

8

issue 16 Spring 2010

switchedon

your insight into the electricalsafety industry

Safety screening – plug-inchargers. Cheap plug-in chargers

– are they putting consumers at

risk?

From the outgoing editor…Also, Welcome

News in brief

Downlighter report published onwebsite

Also, Baroness Tonge becomes ESC

patron

Your Essential Guide to the WiringRegulations – available now!

Also, Access to service fuses - denied

The smart meter programme – asafety opportunity waiting to bemissed?

Website news

Also, 2010 events programme

Working in partnership with TradingStandards

Also, The Switched On readership

survey, Are you receiving Switched

On regularly?

Shopping safely onlineAlso, Research confirms that the

industry is still passionate about

electrical safety

Have you ever been asked… Whycan an unfused spur of a ring finalcircuit be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable?

The purpose of earthing Also, Best Practice Guide

presentations in Scotland

Fire safety fund Also, Recognition of safety innovation

in electrical products

Powerbreakers – making the UKsafer for 35 years

Safety of electrical equipmentprovided by landlords

Asbestos – the hidden killer

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: [email protected]


Past Chairman elected President

of CENELEC

In January this year, Dave Dossett, who was

Chairman of the Electrical Safety Council

from April 2007 to March 2009, was elected

President of the European Committee for

Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC)

until the end of 2012.

Previously, Dave, who is Executive Chairman

of the British Electrotechnical and Allied

Manufacturers Association (BEAMA), had

been Vice President of CENELEC for three

years and then its interim President.

Best Practice Guide wins award

We are pleased to report that the Electrical

Safety Council was the winner of the

Association of Building Engineers (ABE) 2009

Fire Safety Award. The award ceremony was

held at the Association's Annual Conference

Dinner in Norwich last November.

The ABE Fire Safety Award is presented

annually to a person, company or

organisation who, through invention,

research, design, publicity or education has

made a significant contribution to the

advancement of fire safety, fire protection or

fire engineering.

The award was made for the publication of

our Best Practice Guide No 5 - Electrical

Installations and their impact on the fire

performance of buildings. The guidance was

developed in association with a wide

range of leading industry bodies for the

benefit of electrical contactors and

installers, and their customers.

The award was presented by David Smith,

Honorary Secretary of the ABE, and Bill

Black, Life Vice-president and Chairman of

the Awards Panel to Mike Clark, Technical

Director of the Electrical Safety Council.

All of our Best Practice Guides can be

viewed or downloaded free of charge from

the ‘Business and Community’ section of our

main website www.esc.org.uk

‘Faulty electrics a death trap’

In January, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

successfully prosecuted Valentine Controls

Ltd of Hull for five offences in contravention

of the Building Act 1984 and the Building

Regulations 2000.

The five offences involved the poor and

dangerous rewiring of a dwelling by an

organisation not registered under any of

the Government’s Competent Persons

Part P schemes.

The company was found guilty in their

absence, fined £1000 for each offence and

ordered to pay £547 in costs.

The faulty electrical installation work, which

was carried out in a private dwelling, was

discovered by a council building inspector

following a check at the property.

The council had not been notified that

electrical work was being carried out, but

only that building repair work was being

carried out on the floors.

Valentine Controls Ltd had been

subcontracted to undertake and assist with

the electrical works. The installation was

considered so dangerous that immediate

action was taken to disconnect the supply.

Working together for safer homes

We have teamed up with Gas Safe to

produce a ‘top tips’ safety card for consumers.

The card has been designed to be a single

point of reference for consumers who

have both gas and electricity in the home.

One side of the card delivers gas safety tips

and the other side, electrical safety tips.

Both the Electrical Safety Council and Gas

Safe will be distributing the card through

various channels over the coming months.

If you would like to help, you can order 100

copies of the DL-sized card free from

[email protected] or by calling our

helpline on 0870 040 0561.

Raising awareness through safety

presentations

During the second half of 2009, we gave

presentations at a wide range of events

across the UK with the aim of increasing

trade and consumer awareness of electrical

safety issues.

In addition to our technical presentations

at trade events such as Elex, we gave

presentations on our Landlords’ Guide to

Electrical Safety at a number of landlords’

forums:

SeptemberWarrington Borough Council,

Private Sector Housing.

Medway Council, Housing Department

and National Landlords Association.

OctoberCarlisle City Council, Planning and

Housing Services.

London Borough of Bromley,

Housing Department.

Breckland Council, Housing Department.

NovemberBuilding Research Establishment

(to social Housing Providers).

DecemberRother and Hastings Councils and National

Landlords Association.

4 SwitchedOn

NEWS IN BRIEF


In the previous (winter) issue of SwitchedOn, we asked the question

“Can downlighters be a fire hazard?”

We concluded that it was evident from the

findings of our independent research that

the design, the markings, the installation

and user instructions, and the thermal

performance of downlighters are all

significant factors that can increase the risk

of fire where the minimum requirements of

the relevant product standards are not met.

The full results of the tests conducted by

the independent test house we

commissioned can now be found in the

‘Business and Community’ section of our

main website (www.esc.org.uk) under

‘downloads’. The link to the test report can

be found at the end of the article there.

We are producing two leaflets to draw

attention to the hazards associated with

downlighters – one aimed at helping the

trade to select and install them correctly,

and the other aimed at householders to

raise their awareness, amongst other things,

of the importance of selecting the correct

type and rating of replacement lamps.

DOWNLIGHTER TEST REPORT PUBLISHED

Baroness (Jenny) Tonge has agreed tobecome Patron of the Electrical Safety

Council.

In 2004 she lost her daughter in a tragic

electrical accident, and began campaigning

for better electrical safety.

She was subsequently raised to the

House of Lords, where she continues her

campaigning activity directly with

politicians.

The role of patron was created for her, and

we are delighted she has chosen to accept.

It is hoped that with Baroness Tonge as

patron we can create greater awareness of

electrical safety issues, particularly amongst

politicians in Westminster and with civil

servants, to achieve our mission of reducing

electrical accidents and injuries.

Baroness Tonge has had a long political career

which began in 1981 when she was elected

as a councillor in the London Borough of

Richmond upon Thames.

She stepped down as a councillor in 1990,

and fought the 1992 General Election in the

Richmond Park constituency. She was elected

at the second attempt in 1997.

She was rapidly promoted to become Liberal

Democrat Spokesperson for International

Development between 1999 and 2003 before

moving on to take up the children’s brief,

which she held until 2004.

After the death of her daughter in 2004, she

made the decision not to contest the

following General Election, and left the House

of Commons in 2005.

In June of that year she was made a life peer

as Baroness Tonge of Kew in the London

Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and

took a seat in the House of Lords.

Roles of patrons vary greatly between

charities, from those that use the patron as a

high profile name for the charity, to those

where the patron is actively involved in the

work and campaigns of the organisation.

Baroness Tonge will provide a vital personal

link between the charity and the heart of

politics in the UK. This will increase our

ability to access the corridors of power and

influence key decisions and thinking in

political circles.

With our ongoing campaigning work to

improve home safety, support in Parliament

will be vital to help us further improve

safety for tenants and landlords.

Baroness Tonge was a key figure at our

parliamentary reception at Westminster in

March.

BARONESS TONGE BECOMES ESC PATRON

SwitchedOn 5


As announced in the previous issue of

Switched On, we’ve made our definitive

guide to complying with BS 7671 (IEE Wiring

Regulations) and related standards available

to all* - online!

Fully updated to the ‘17th Edition’,

The Essential Guide to the Wiring Regulations is

a unique and authoritative source of

reference on electrical installation safety

matters, and a definitive guide to complying

with the requirements of BS 7671 (IEE Wiring

Regulations) and related standards, for the

electrical contracting industry and other

qualified practitioners.

The Essential Guide comprises discrete

articles, or ‘topics’, each of which concentrates

on an electrical installation issue of interest

to, amongst others, electrical installation

contractors and installers, electrical

engineers, electrical installation designers,

college lecturers, electrical equipment

manufacturers and the members of those

committees responsible for the production of

national and industry standards for electrical

installations, equipment and products.

The relevant requirements of BS 7671, other

British Standard and Industry Codes of

Practice are identified and amplified, and

their implications explained.

Many topics also incorporate data and other

useful information on the subjects they cover.

Formerly known as the ‘Technical Manual’,

the constantly developing Guide, which has

already been many years in the making,

currently comprises over 300 illustrated

topics, each giving detailed information and

guidance on how to comply with a particular

aspect of BS 7671 or a related standard.

In printed form, the topics would fill at least

four large A4 binders. However, in this

electronic age, all the topics are fully

searchable on screen, and are hyperlinked

where appropriate to related topics. All the

published topics are kept under review, and

are updated as and when necessary.

The Essential Guide is growing at the rate

of about 40 new and significantly revised

topics per year towards a target of 800 topics.

But there’s no need to download updates –

the latest version of the Guide is always the

one online.

However, for those who might prefer to keep

some of the essential information at their

fingertips on paper, each of the topics is

printable in full colour as a PDF..

The online version contains a range of

interactive features, including:

� Your popular searches

� Your reading list

� What’s new

� Options for comments and feedback.

� Dynamic search options and links

Forthcoming topics will cover aspects of the

following subjects:

� Building Regulations Approved

Documents (England and Wales)

� Fault current

� Special locations – construction sites

� Accessories

� Transformers

In addition to the wide range of topics,

subscribers to the online Essential Guide will

gain access to additional technical material,

including the latest BEAMA Guides.

The intended users of the Essential Guide are

persons trained to at least National

Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 in

electrical installation work, and having a

good understanding of the requirements of

BS 7671 and related standards.

The Essential Guide is a valuable source of

technical information and guidance for all

those involved in electrical installation and

allied work, including:

� Electrical engineers

� Electrical installation designers

� Electrical contractors and installers

� Building services engineers

� Building services maintenance

engineers

� Colleges and training bodies

� Electrical equipment manufacturers

� Housing associations

� Local authority building control and

environmental services departments

� NHS Trusts

� Facilities management companies

A 12 month subscription to the online

Essential Guide to the Wiring

Regulations currently costs only £85

plus VAT, which is exceptionally good

value. But the price is under review,

so don’t delay!

For a free 7 day trial of the Essential

Guide, and to subscribe, please visit our

new Electrical Information Hub at

www.eschub.org.uk

*By arrangement with our trading subsidiary

NICEIC Group Ltd, the online version continues

to be available free of charge to NICEIC

Approved Contractors, NICEIC Domestic

Installers and to NICEIC Partners.

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE WIRING REGULATIONS –AVAILABLE NOW!

6 SwitchedOn


We have been reporting on this

important subject over several past

issues of Switched On.

We had been hoping and expecting that the

electrical supply industry would at last

respond positively to requests from the

electrical installation industry and others,

including the Electrical Safety Council, to

change its policy which currently forbids

competent persons other than those

employed directly in the supply industry to

withdraw and replace the service fuse in

distributors’ service heads.

The aim of the installation industry’s requests

was to enable competent persons, having

received additional training as required, to

be registered as authorised to effect

temporary isolations themselves by means

of service fuses in order to be able to work

safely on domestic electrical installations, in

particular when replacing consumer units.

Such a change of policy would have

avoided, in many instances, the need for

electrical contractors and electricians to try

to arrange with the distributor, supplier

and/or the meter operator to carry out the

temporary isolation, which years of

experience since privatisation of the

electrical supply industry have proved to be

very problematic. So problematic in fact that

many electricians have felt obliged routinely

to cut the seals on service heads to remove

and replace service fuses, without reference

to the owners or managers of those assets.

We were therefore very disappointed to

be advised by the DCUSA* Working Group

at the end of January that the

‘de-energisation by non-industry parties’

proposal had been withdrawn at the request

of the proposer, EDF Energy Networks,

because there was no widespread support

for such a scheme among the industry

(being suppliers, distributors and meter

operators).

At the time of writing, we and other

participants in the consultation process were

still awaiting details of the conclusions of the

DCUSA Working Group.

However, it was understood that the

Working Group had produced a guidance

document ‘to aid non-industry parties in

arranging de-energisation’, which should

have been published by the time this issue

of Switched On is distributed.

In the meantime, the electrical installation

industry representatives and other

supporters were considering how next to

pursue their case for a change of policy.

* 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 transport it.

ACCESS TO SERVICE FUSES

Would you be interested in

an offline version of the

Essential Guide?

The standard version of the Essential Guide

is accessible online only, which means that

users need to be connected to the internet

whenever using it.

We would 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.

If the level of interest is sufficient, we will

look further into the cost of developing

such an enhanced version and the effect

this would potentially have on the

subscription rate for that version.

To register your interest in subscribing to

an enhanced, offline version of the

Essential Guide (at an additional cost yet to

be determined), please go to

www.eschub.org.uk

We will report the outcome of this enquiry

in the next issue of Switched On.

SwitchedOn 7


It is estimated that, every year, around

1.8 million mains plug-in chargers are bought

online by UK customers. It is likely that most of

these purchases involve cheap, unbranded units.*

Is this a problem?

Last year, Buckinghamshire Trading Standards

seized more than 3,600 unsafe chargers from

retailers over a 6-8 week period alone.

Unsafe charger units are being manufactured in

China from as little as HK$0.46 (Hong Kong dollar),

which is equivalent to about 3 pence. Allegations

have been made that Chinese manufacturers are

submitting well-engineered electrical products for

conformity testing purposes, but then removing

‘non-essential’ components in production to reduce

costs.

The importation, wholesale and retail distribution

network seems to be well established for these

chargers, spreading them far and wide throughout

the UK. But potentially they are not being subjected

to the legal due diligence processes that underpin

the free-flow of goods in the European Union, and

indeed the global market, due to the lack of control

over purchases made over the internet.

During investigations by Trading Standards, traders

claimed that they simply relied upon the veracity of

the CE mark and made no subsequent checks of

their own to ensure that the chargers were safe. The

concept of personal responsibility and liability for the

goods they sold was frequently alien to them.

Since the tragic death of a young British boy in

Thailand in 2006, killed by a faulty charger bought by

his unknowing parents while they were on holiday,

many illegal chargers have been seized in the UK by

local Trading Standards officers but, in this internet

age, the market is flooded and enforcement is

piecemeal.

We are concerned that many thousands of lives in

the UK, particularly young lives, are being put at risk

whenever unsafe cheap chargers are used to charge

or power music devices, hand-held games consoles

and similar electronic goods.

The size of the problem

As part of our investigations, we commissioned an

independent laboratory to carry out safety and

performance testing on a selection of chargers

purchased as new from well known online trading

and auction sites, such as Ebay.

For all ten chargers selected for testing, the

departures observed from the relevant UK products

standards were such that none of the samples met

the principal safety requirements of the Electrical

Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.

One charger failed to operate on receipt. The tests

on the others revealed the following defects:

• One charger presented a serious and immediate

shock risk in that it was possible to detach the

plug section from the adaptor by hand, leaving live

contacts exposed to touch when inserted into a

socket-outlet, as shown here.

• None of the chargers had the required separation

between live parts. Typically, there was

insufficient insulation and distances between live

parts and between input/output circuits. A fault

could cause the output of the charger to reach

mains voltage, leading to a risk of fire and electric

shock. In one case, only a fine enamel coating

8 SwitchedOn

Safety screening: plug-Cheap plug-in chargers – are they putting consumers at risk

“..none of

the samples

met the

principal

safety

requirements

of the

Electrical

Equipment

(Safety)

Regulations

1994.”

*Research carried out by Buckinghamshire Trading Standards – September 2008.


between the primary and secondary transformer

windings prevented direct connection between the

mains supply and the charger output.

• Seven chargers also failed a standard dielectric

strength test, the insulation between the input and

output circuits breaking down at an applied voltage

less than the minimum required withstand voltage.

• Under short-circuit testing, three chargers showed

signs of significant internal component damage, with

soot and metallic deposits covering insulated surfaces

within the housing, as shown below. Internal short-

circuit protection had failed to operate (or to operate

safely) to prevent internal component and thermal

damage. Failure of short-circuit protection is a

significant fire (and potentially explosion) risk, as

circuits are effectively fried.

• In five chargers, the internal wires connecting the plug

pins to the circuit boards were attached by solder only.

Should a wire break free, its movement could cause a

short-circuit, resulting in a fire hazard or mains

voltage appearing at the charger output.

• Inadequate mechanical strength. During testing, the

cover of one charger had broken completely away from

the base, presenting an immediate shock risk from

exposed live parts. Also, the plastic earth pin of two

chargers broke away from the base, one with only light

finger pressure. If an earth pin breaks away whilst

inserted in a socket-outlet, the safety shutters will not

close to protect against contact with live socket

contacts when the charger is unplugged.

• Five chargers had been wired using sub-standard

components connecting the live parts of the primary

and secondary circuits. The components used did not

provide sufficient insulation between the mains supply

and the output of the charger.

• Live plug pins are required to be not less than 9.5 mm

away from the edge of the charger body. Nine

chargers failed to meet this requirement; the worst

case noted as having live pins only a fraction of a

millimetre away from the edge. The main danger

from the peripheral distance being less than 9.5 mm is

one of electric shock from finger contact, although this

is less likely (but still possible) where adequate

insulated sleeving has been applied to the pins. A

typical example of incorrectly located plug pins is

shown below.

• Incorrect plug pin

alignment and

oversized/undersized

pins. If pins do not fit

properly into UK sockets,

overheating, arcing and

damage to the socket can

occur. Only one charger

met the dimension and

size requirements for

plug pins. Three chargers could not be inserted into a

standard socket gauge properly due to the incorrect

alignment of plug pins.

SwitchedOn 9

ug-in chargerss at risk?

Continued on Page 10 >


10 SwitchedOn

Other problems found included inadequate markings

and lack of instructions. In many cases, chargers were

supplied loose or with minimal protective packaging to

prevent damage, and no instructions were provided to

ensure chargers could be used safely.

Whilst this did not make the charger unsafe, the omission

of standard markings is a departure from the British

Standard. Also, the Electrical Equipment (Safety)

Regulations 1994 require the manufacturer's brand name

or trade mark to be clearly printed on the electrical

equipment. Their absence is therefore a technical breach

of these Regulations.

CE marking is a mandatory conformity mark on many

products placed on the single market in the European

Economic Area (EEA). Failure to provide the CE mark can

result in heavy fines and imprisonment.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994

require the placing of CE marking on all electrical

equipment to confirm that the equipment satisfies all the

‘health and safety’ requirements of the Regulations. One

charger, although specifically described in online

advertising by the trader as a ‘CE Approved Charger’, did

not bear the mark. The charger was supplied by a trader

operating in the UK.

Also, many of the chargers as supplied did not match the

descriptions or illustrations given by the trader. In one

case, a charger illustrated for use in the UK was supplied

with plug pins configured for use in the United States

only.

A comparison of the charger as described by the trader

and what was supplied is shown below.

Trader’s description of charger purchased

Apart from supplying an incompatible charger, it was also

noted that the plug pins were bent, presumably during

transit, due to insufficient protective packaging.

Our conclusions

It is evident from our investigations and the issues

described above that there are many pitfalls and potential

safety risks that may result from buying cheap unbranded

chargers on the internet.

We have published guidance about internet buying to

raise awareness of the problems and to encourage

consumers to become more discerning in their

purchasing decisions. The guidance can be viewed on,

or downloaded from, www.escsafeshoppersguide.org.uk

or our main website www.esc.org.uk.

A detailed report giving a full description of the samples,

the tests applied and the findings of the assessment can

be viewed on our main website

As with all product safety investigations undertaken, we

are following up all the identified failures with the

retailers and manufacturers concerned, and keeping the

relevant authorities informed of our actions.

Anyone who has reason to believe they have purchased

an unsafe charger should contact their local authority

trading standards office in the first instance.

However, we would also like to hear from anyone

regarding any general concerns about the safety of

chargers. Please send details to:

[email protected]

Charger supplied


SwitchedOn 11

Ambitious plan

Under the government’s ambitious plans

announced last year, smart meters are to

be fitted in all 26 million UK homes by 2020.

On average then, this will involve over two

and a half million electricity meters being

replaced each year over the next ten years.

Responsibility for this huge task has fallen to

the energy suppliers, rather than the

distributors.

This raises the question of who will actually

carry out the meter replacement work, and

how their competence and standard of

workmanship will be assured.

At the present time, as referred to in the

article on page 7, electricians who are not

directly employed by the public supply

industry are not permitted to cut distributors’

or suppliers’ seals to access cut-out fuses or

meter terminals.

So, unless there’s a change of policy in this

area, it seems likely that large numbers of

non-electricians will be trained especially to

do the meter replacement work.

Competence

This would seem to have safety implications.

In particular, to what standards will the meter

fixers be required to work?

They and their employers will of course be

subject to the general requirements of the

Health and Safety at Work Act and to the

particular requirements of the Electricity at

Work Regulations.

But will the meter fixers have the wider

knowledge, skill and experience necessary to

recognise and avoid danger to themselves

and others that might arise from situations

such as:

� service heads in a dangerous condition

� inadequate installation earthing

arrangements

� polarity of existing supply

connections reversed

� damaged, deteriorated or

inadequately-sized meter ‘tails’

� meters fixed to boards

containing asbestos

Will they be able to take appropriate action if

they do discover a dangerous or potentially

dangerous situation?

And indeed, might the meter fixers

occasionally introduce hazards that didn’t

exist before their visit, such as inadvertently

reversing the polarity of the supply

connections? Or perhaps causing the

existing connections to consumer units and

service heads to loosen when they

necessarily disturb the meter tails, potentially

leading to overheating or even fires at those

points of connection?

Possible causes of loose connections include

not only poor workmanship, but perhaps

also the design of the terminals in some

equipment that may not provide sufficiently

durable connections, especially when the

connected cables are later disturbed.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

On the positive side, the meter replacement

programme will provide a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity for electrically competent

persons to check the condition of the

electrical intake arrangements in all

consumers’ premises over a relatively short

period of time.

Amongst other things, the competent

persons could check and report on the

condition of the distributor’s service head

because, before starting work on the meter,

safe working procedures will require them

to remove the distributor’s cut-out fuse in

the service head to isolate the incoming

supply. That’s unless an isolating switch has

already been installed between the service

head and the meter, as has been the

practice in some parts of the UK.

On the practical side, many existing service

heads are very old, and some are likely to

be in poor condition. In particular, it’s

believed that despite longstanding

requirements to the contrary, many pre-

1937 service heads remain is service today

that have a fuse in the neutral as well as in

the line conductor.

Installations supplied by such service heads

may present a serious risk of electric shock if

only the fuse in the neutral operates, as

equipment that appears to have been

disconnected will still be live.

There would also be the opportunity for the

meter fixers to confirm and, if necessary,

mark the rating of the service fuse on the

service head for the benefit of those

inspecting or working on the electrical

installation at a later date.

At the present time, distributors are often

unable to confirm the rating of service fuses

to those needing to know for design and

safety reasons.

But will such once-in-a-lifetime

opportunities for basic electrical safety

checks and improvements be taken?

We fear not, or at least not fully, as the focus

is likely to be firmly on fitting the

replacement meters in minimum time and

at minimum cost.

We can only hope though that those

responsible for planning and executing the

smart meter programme will be equally

smart when it comes to the related

electrical safety issues.

We will be raising these issues with the

appropriate parties as and when

opportunities arise.

THE SMART METER PROGRAMME – A SAFETY OPPORTUNITY WAITING TO BE MISSED?

Result of a loose connection at a consumer unitmain switch

Result of overheating at a Distributor’s service head


12 SwitchedOn

The Electrical Safety Council now has four

separate and distinctive websites:

� The original and main website –

www.esc.org.uk. This site received

almost 31,000 visits in the three months

up to the end of January

� The very popular Switched On Kids

website, aimed at primary school

children www.switchedonkids.org.uk.

This site received almost 40,000 visits in

the same period.

� The more recent TwoThirtyVolts

website aimed at teenagers -

www.twothirtyvolts.org.uk. This site

received almost 5000 visits.

� The latest website, destined to be our

Electrical Information Hub –

www.eschub.org.uk - was launched at

the end of January, and currently hosts

the online Essential Guide (see the article

on page 6)

We intend to transfer all the information for

the industry that is currently on the main

website to the new Electrical Information

Hub by the autumn, with improved design,

accessibility and navigation features.

Until then, electrical contractors, electricians

and domestic installers can continue to find

a wide range of relevant and useful

information in the ‘Business and Community’

section of our main website, including:

� Best Practice Guides – a growing range

of guidance developed in association

with leading industry bodies

� 17th Edition Guidance – industry-agreed

answers to a wide range of commonly-

asked questions about the current

requirements for electrical installations

� Electronic copies of all the previous

issues of Switched On, together with a

free subscription facility

� Guidance on periodic inspection

reporting

� Reports on our independent research

into the in-service reliability of RCDs,

the thermal performance of

downlighters, the electrical safety of

plug-in chargers etc

� Electrical accident statistics (including

fires having an electrical origin).

If you haven’t visited these sites before, we

believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised by

what you find there.

For example, you’ll find in the 17th Edition

Guidance section and in the Best Practice

Guides definitive and authoritative answers

to many of the electrical installation

questions repeatedly being asked and

discussed on internet forums!

WEBSITE NEWS

Sparks 21-22 Apr Newbury RacecourseElex* 29-30 Apr ExeterScottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show* 15-16 May SECC GlasgowTrading Standards Conference & Exhibition 15-17 June Edinburgh International Conference CentreGardeners World Live 16-20 June NEC, BirminghamElex* 16-17 Sep Ricoh Arena, CoventryCitizens’ Advice service annual conference TBCNational Housing Federation's Social 22-24 Sep International Conference Centre, BirminghamHousing Exhibition 2010

Labour Party Conference 26-30 Sep ManchesterConservative Party Conference 4-7 Oct Birmingham Elex* 30 Nov – 1 Dec Sandown Race Course, Surrey

EVENTS FOR 2010

This programme is subject to amendment – for the latest news, please visit the events page of our main website, www.esc.org.uk

This year, we have the most varied events

programme so far. We will be travelling

throughout the UK to talk to consumers,

electricians, apprentices and trainees,

landlords, MPs, MSPs and industry bodies alike.

The programme includes another summer

tour of country shows where we can discuss

electrical safety issues with consumers face-

to-face. Research amongst visitors to our

exhibition trailer during last year’s tour

showed that:

� 75% had learned something new about

electrical safety

� 75% said they would behave differently

around electricity because of what they

had learned.

These responses were very encouraging,

and so we are all keen to get out again this

year to reach even more consumers.

The 2010 events programme is shown

below. For those events marked with an

asterisk, we have free tickets available which

will be allocated on a first come, first served

basis – please register your interest at

[email protected].


ARE YOU GETTING SWITCHED ON REGULARLY?

If you’ve been receiving printed copies of

Switched On regularly with Professional

Electrician, SELECT’s CableTalk or the

NICEIC Connections magazines, you can

expect to continue doing so for the

foreseeable future.

However, if you’ve received recent issues

by direct mail or with IET Wiring Matters,

you may wish to register on our website to

be sure of continuing to be sent, free of

charge, either the printed version or, if you

prefer, the electronic version (all issues of

which can be viewed on, or downloaded

from, our website at www.esc.org.uk).

If you wish to register to be sure of continuing toreceive your free copy of Switched On, please goto the ‘business and community’section of ourwebsite www.esc.org.uk to subscribe online.

In the autumn issue of Switched On, we

asked our readers to go online to let us

know what they thought of our magazine.

To support the survey, we also established a

number of focus groups and conducted over

twenty face-to-face interviews with electrical

contractors.

In all, over two hundred people took part in

our research, and we would like to take this

opportunity to thank everyone who

participated.

Most people who completed the online

survey work in the electrical and building

industries, with around half working in

companies of five employees or less. Over

50% described electrical safety as the most

important part of their job.

The vast majority of participants responded

positively to questions about Switched On’s

current format and content – emphasizing its

value as a technical resource amongst

industry professionals. Many online

respondents commented on the clear and

attractive design of the publication and the

clarity of the technical articles in particular.

However, we were also pleased to see so

many of you contributing to a lively debate

on how we could improve the publication in

the future:

• A large percentage of those surveyed said

they wanted more choice in how they

receive the magazine, with many asking

for it to be sent to them electronically

• Within the focus groups, it was suggested

that more clearly marked sections –

including one for general consumers -

would allow people to easily access the

articles most relevant

to them.

Our research clearly showed that readers

want Switched On to provide more

consumer-related advice, with the magazine

acting as an authoritative guide on electrical

issues and products.

The increasing circulation of Switched On

means that we are now reaching more

people than ever before.

Our aim is to further broaden the

magazine’s appeal to engage a wider

audience, while retaining the technical

focus that has made it such a popular

resource for industry professionals.

The feedback we received via our research

will be vital in helping us make the changes

you want to see, while maintaining our

most popular features.

We’ll bring you further news of our plansfor Switched On in future issues.

Non-compliant or counterfeit electrical

products can cause fire, injury and – in

the worse case scenario – even death.

Yet every year, the number of counterfeit

products on the market (which are almost

always substandard) increases. Last year, an

estimated £30m worth of counterfeit

electrical products reached the UK.

We have therefore been working with a

range of partners to address the problem.

Last spring, we hosted a round table

debate on the subject (reported on in the

summer 2009 issue of Switched On). The

objective was to start developing a

strategy to combat counterfeit and non-

compliant products and explore ways to

build upon the work already initiated

through the Electrical Installation Industry

Charter*

Now, in a further step to address the

problem, we have linked up with the

Trading Standards Institute to enhance

cooperation between the Electrical Safety

Council, regulators and enforcement

agencies.

We are working with Trading Standards to

develop a secure online system that will

enable the Electrical Safety Council and

Trading Standards officers throughout the

UK to share information about electrical

product safety issues.

Our aim is to improve market surveillance

and enhance cooperation with regulatory

and enforcement bodies – and, of course,

thereby to improve public safety.

* The Charter is a written agreement that

confirms the commitment of all signatories to

develop practical and effective solutions to

eliminate the trade in dangerous, non-

compliant electrical products and improve

consumer safety. Current signatories are

BASEC, BCA, BEAMA, ECA, EDA, ESC, LIF and

SELECT.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRADING STANDARDS

THE SWITCHED ON READERSHIP SURVEY

SwitchedOn 13


14 SwitchedOn

More than 26 million Britons shop over

the internet, with electrical products

accounting for more than one in ten online

purchases.

Although most website shopping is trouble-

free there are risks, particularly from the

growing sale of counterfeit products online.

Substandard or counterfeit electrical products

can damage much more than your wallet.

They can cause fire, injury and – in the worse

case scenario – even death.

To help consumers avoid potential pitfalls on

the web, we have produced The Safe

Shopper’s Guide to buying electrical products

online.

In the run-up to last Christmas, newspapers

reported that £320m was spent via the web

in just one day – ‘Mega Monday’, as the press

called it.

Part of the reason for the huge growth in

internet shopping is the potential to bag a

bargain. However, there has also been a

corresponding increase in the number of

counterfeit goods being sold on the web.

While there has been a significant amount of

publicity around fake designer goods, little

has been heard of the hazards of counterfeit

electrical products. These are often

substandard and potentially dangerous, so

we are concerned that consumers could be

putting themselves and their families at risk.

We therefore decided to produce a short,

simple guide to provide all the basic

information people need to buy electrical

goods safely online.

The guide offers ten top tips to keep safe

when purchasing goods via the web, advice

on what to do if you get a ‘problem’ product

or are sent counterfeit goods, and an outline

of consumer rights.

A survey of 2,000 people’s online buying

habits was also undertaken, to inform the

guide and determine the kind of information

shoppers might need. Some of the outcomes

of the research were quite literally shocking.

For example, we found that:

• Almost a third (30%) of respondents

claimed to have had a problem with

electrical goods bought online.

• 27% said the item either didn’t work or

broke after a month.

• 16% said the problem caused an injury or

fire.

• Of those who bought an item from

outside the EU, an even higher percentage

– 26% - said the item caused injury or fire.

Price was the main driver for people buying

electrical products online and we understand

that, particularly in these financially difficult

times, cost is a major concern. However, with

the high number of problems reported in our

survey, it’s well worth following

the basic precautions set out

in our guide.

Last year, we carried out research with

volunteers from the electrical industry.

Participants included a mix of electricians

and electrical company managers, with the

research being conducted through a series

of focus groups and in-depth interviews.

One of the main questions participants

were asked was what ‘electrical safety’

meant to them in their day to day jobs.

Encouragingly, respondents claimed that

electrical safety was of huge importance to

them and they confirmed that it was an

‘everyday part of their job’. Many felt they

were directly responsible for ‘prevention of

electric shock’ and acknowledged the

importance of procedures, checks and

regulations, though a few perceived them

to be ‘a chore’ and ‘more demanding than

ten years ago’.

When explored further, it was found that

many respondents were very concerned

that ‘the general public don’t know enough

about electrical safety’ and that ‘they

underestimate the seriousness of electrical

dangers’. It was felt that the public assume

that ‘compared to gas, electricity is safe and

easy to deal with’ and that electricians ‘only

use safety as a ruse to charge more money’.

When discussing with participants what

they felt the Electrical Safety Council should

be doing to help protect and educate the

public, the majority of them believed that

we should be lobbying for greater

enforcement to remove ‘cowboy

electricians’ (a source of constant frustration

to professional electricians who feel that the

unregulated sector are giving the industry a

bad name), and that we should build on our

reputation as an effective consumer safety

body by delivering ‘high profile’ and

impactful electrical safety campaigns and

messages.

Respondents were also quick to confirm

their eagerness for a body like the Electrical

Safety Council to ‘take the lead’ in educating

consumers on electrical safety issues and

their willingness to give ‘whole hearted

support’ to any initiatives that would help to

do this.

We would like to thank again all those who

took part in the research, the results of

which are being taken into account in our

campaign plans for 2010/11.

RESEARCH CONFIRMS THAT THE INDUSTRY IS STILLPASSIONATE ABOUT ELECTRICAL SAFETY

SHOPPING SAFELY ONLINE – A NEW CONSUMER GUIDE

To download a free

copy of The Safe Shopper’s

Guide, go to

www.escsafeshoppersguide.org.uk, or

visit our website www.esc.org.uk


An unfused spur (cable branch) of a 30 A or

32 A ring final circuit supplying 13 A

accessories to BS 1363 may be wired with

thermoplastic (pvc) or thermosetting

insulated copper line and neutral conductors

as small as 2.5 mm2, as is the case for the ring

itself. (Regulation 433.1.5 refers.)

Designers and installers will recognise that

the current-carrying capacity of 2.5 mm2

thermoplastic insulated conductors is

generally less than the 30 A or 32 A rated

current of the fuse or circuit breaker of the

ring circuit, depending on the cable

installation method and the ambient

temperature etc. (The same is true for

2.5 mm2 thermosetting insulated conductors,

such as in 6242B cable, where operated at a

conductor temperature not exceeding 70 ºC,

as is usually necessary to suit the temperature

rating of accessories.)

Consequently, the circuit protective device

cannot protect the unfused spur cable

against overload current. Thus, if the spur

cable becomes overloaded, damage may

be caused to the insulation, sheath or

surroundings of the cable, or to connected

accessories, due to the temperature of the

conductors of the cable rising to above their

rated value (such as 70 ºC for thermoplastic

insulated cable).

Why is a 2.5 mm2 conductor

size allowed?

The question therefore arises of ‘why is it

permitted to use 2.5 mm2 thermoplastic

insulated line and neutral conductors to wire

an unfused spur?’

The answer mainly lies in condition (b) of the

following three conditions that apply to the

wiring of a ring final circuit:

a) The current-carrying capacity (Iz) of

the circuit cable (including that in any

unfused spurs) must be not less than

20 A, taking into account the conditions

of ambient temperature, grouping and

thermal insulation along the cable run

(Regulation 433.1.5 refers).

b) The circuit must be designed such

that the load current in any part of the

circuit, including unfused spurs, is

unlikely to exceed the current-

carrying capacity of cable for long

periods (typically 1 hour) under the

intended conditions of use

(Regulation 433.1.5 refers).

c) A conductor size larger than 2.5 mm2

may be required for reasons of

voltage drop (Section 525 refers),

such as for long cable runs.

Note. For an unfused spur, compliance with

condition (b) leads to compliance with indent (ii)

of Regulation 433.3.1. This allows the omission of

protection against overload for the spur cable,

on the basis that the characteristics of the load

on that cable are such that its conductors are

unlikely to carry overload current.

So far as an unfused spur cable is concerned,

condition (b) will generally be met by

designing the installation so that conditions

(1) and (2) below are both met.

1) The spur feeds only:

� one single or one twin 13 A

socket-outlet, or

� one item of fixed equipment

supplied through a fused

connection unit, or

� more than one item of fixed

equipment, each item being

supplied through a separate fused

connection unit, provided the total

load on the spur cable (taking into

account diversity) does not exceed

the current-carrying capacity of the

spur cable.

2) Where necessary, to avoid too much

load being plugged into a 13 A socket-

outlet supplied through the spur cable,

a sufficient number of other 13 A

socket-outlets, not supplied through

the same spur cable, are installed in

suitable positions in the vicinity of the

socket-outlet.

What about the possibility of

short-circuit?

The question also arises of ‘what happens if a

short-circuit occurs in the unfused spur cable?’

In other words, will the 30 A or 32 A circuit

protective device protect against thermal

damage in the event of a short-circuit involving

the line and neutral conductors of the spur?

Protection is checked using the adiabatic

equation in Regulation 434.5.2.

It can be shown that any of the 30 A or

32 A circuit-breakers, RCBOs or fuses listed in

Regulation 433.1.5 for use as the protective

device for a ring final circuit will protect

2.5 mm2 thermoplastic (or thermosetting)

insulated conductors of an unfused spur

cable against short-circuit current.

And what about earth fault?

Similarly, the question arises of ‘will the 30 A

or 32 A protective device protect the

1.5 mm2 circuit protective conductor (cpc) of

a 2.5 mm2 BS 6004 flat twin-and-earth cable

in an unfused spur against earth fault

current?’

Protection is checked using the adiabatic

equation in Regulation 543.1.3.

It can also be shown that any of the 30 A

or 32 A fuses, circuit breakers or RCBOs listed

in Regulation 433.1.5 will protect the bare

1.5 mm2 cpc of a flat thermoplastic

(or thermosetting) insulated and sheathed

twin-and-earth unfused spur cable, provided

the earth fault loop impedance (Zs) at the

points supplied by the spur is within the

maximum value required by BS 7671 for a

disconnection time of 0.4 s.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED … Why can an unfused spur ofa ring final circuit be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable?

Note. Although notshown in the diagram,additional protection bymeans of an RCD mustbe provided for socket-outlets and for cablesconcealed in walls orpartitions, whererequired by Regulations411.3.3 and RegulationGroup 522.6,respectively.

SwitchedOn 15


Members attending SELECT branch

meetings in Glasgow and Edinburgh

earlier this year were treated to a short

presentation on the content of our latest

Best Practice Guide*, Replacing a consumer

unit in domestic premises.

This provided a great opportunity for us to

meet Scottish electrical contractors and to

discuss with them current issues

surrounding the replacement of consumer

units in domestic premises.

Both events were kindly sponsored by

Electricfix, part of the Screwfix family.

The main topics covered in thepresentation were:

• Legal requirements, including the

Scottish Building Standards and the

Electricity at Work Regulations

• Requirements of BS 7671

• Main earthing, bonding and meter tails

• Reason for change – planned change or

distress change

• Pre-work survey and risk assessment

• Remedial work to the existing installation

where necessary, and

• Inspection, testing and certification.

We had a really positive response at these

events. Results from a survey indicated that

most attendees gained useful information

from the presentation, which in turn would

help them to do their job more effectively.

Additionally, around 90% of those surveyed

expressed the view that the Best Practice

Guide would be a useful tool to help them

explain to consumers what work needed to

be done when replacing a consumer unit.

* All our Best Practice Guides can be

downloaded free of charge from the

‘Business and Community’ Section of our


BEST PRACTICE GUIDE PRESENTATIONS IN SCOTLAND

THE PURPOSES OF EARTHING – A LOOK AT FUNCTIONAL EARTHING

Earthing’ is a familiar term to those

involved with electrical installations and

electricity supply networks. However, the

purposes of earthing are not always clearly

understood.

BS 7671: 2008 (IEE Wiring Regulations

Seventeenth Edition) considers three main

types of earthing:

� protective earthing

� functional earthing

� earthing for combined protective

and functional purposes.

The article in the autumn 2009 issue of

Switched On covered protective earthing,

which is provided for reasons of safety.

In this article, we look at functional earthing

and at earthing for combined protective and

functional purposes.

Functional earthing

The purpose of functional earthing is given in

a definition in Part 2 of BS 7671:

‘Functional earth. Earthing of a point or

points in a system or in an installation or

in equipment, for purposes other than

electrical safety, such as for proper

functioning of electrical equipment.’

An example of functional earthing is a low-

noise earth, sometimes called a ‘clean earth’.

This is an earth connection in which the

level of conducted or induced interference

from external sources does not produce an

unacceptable incidence of malfunction in

the data-processing or similar equipment to

which it is connected.

Earthing for combined protective

and functional purposes

As the term suggests, earthing for combined

protective and functional purposes has two

main purposes: a protective purpose

(for reasons of electrical safety) and a

functional purpose (to facilitate the proper

functioning of electrical equipment).

Some examples of the use of conductors

for combined protective and functional

purposes are:

� the protective conductor of a circuit in

an installation supplying equipment

having high protective conductor

current, as shown in Fig 1 (Regulation

Group 543.7 of BS 7671 refers)

� a protective conductor that is also used

for low noise earthing in an installation.

It is important to recognise that where

earthing is provided for combined protective

and functional purposes, the requirements for

protective measures must take precedence

(Regulation 543.5). Where the requirements

for protective and functional purposes

cannot both be achieved by the same

earthing system, separate earthing systems

should be employed.

Fig 1 – Part of a circuit supplyingequipment having high protectiveconductor current

16 SwitchedOn

‘


Following the success of our electric

blanket testing and replacement

initiative last year, we are supporting a

range of fire safety initiatives again this year.

We made funding available to Fire & Rescue

Services and Trading Standards officers

across the UK to deliver their own electrical

fire prevention schemes, working through

partnerships at local level.

130 applications were received and we

were able to make awards to 29 schemes,

bringing the total funding provided by us

to £130,000.

Of the successful applications, 19 came from

England, 6 from Scotland and 4 from Wales.

Through this initiative, we have been able to

support a broad range of fire safety activity at

local level, ranging from appliance testing

and market surveillance projects to

supporting Fire & Rescue Services with their

home safety checks and the replacement of

defective electrical equipment found during

those visits.

Successful schemes were chosen on the

basis of their capability to potentially reduce

fire-related incidents and to deliver public

benefit by targeting those most at risk.

One of the schemes, run by Warwickshire Fire

& Rescue Services, provided young people

with the knowledge required to deliver fire

safety messages to elderly people within

their families and the wider community.

This served a dual purpose in raising young

people’s awareness of fire safety, and enabling

them to act as ambassadors to pass those

messages on to other vulnerable groups.

If you would like find out more about our

Fire Safety Fund and/or the schemes we

supported, please visit the Business and

Community section of our website at

www.esc.org.uk.

FIRE SAFETY FUND 2009-2010

SwitchedOn 17

RECOGNITION OF SAFETY INNOVATION IN ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS

Behind the scenes, we have been looking

into the feasibility of operating an

awards scheme designed to enhance

consumer safety through recognition of

innovative product design.

The development of a ‘Safety Innovation

Awards Scheme’ will support a key

corporate objective - to provide a watching

brief for consumers. The intention is for the

scheme to raise consumer awareness of

electrical product safety issues, help them to

make informed purchasing decisions; and

encourage manufacturers to improve

product safety.

Why recognise safety innovation?

Many leading manufacturers of electrical

equipment offer extra safety features, which

are not available on lower-priced products,

as a point of differentiation. Some smaller

innovative companies also offer unique

product solutions that can increase

consumer safety. If commercially successful,

these innovations are eventually adopted by

mainstream competitors, thereby increasing

safety for an increasing range of consumers.

The proposal for an ESC Safety Innovation

Awards Scheme for electrical products arose

from a desire to highlight such safety

innovations and reward their developers.

Initial meetings with manufacturers of a range

of leading electrical products – from domestic

appliances and wiring accessories, to gardening

and power tools - have been very encouraging.

There is a growing awareness that the

proposed awards would provide companies

with a competitive edge, as it offers a means

of product differentiation in a market which,

historically, has not used safety as a key

selling point. We also expect trade

associations to appreciate the benefit of this

award for their members.

The over-arching aims of the scheme would

be to:

� Encourage, recognise and promote

innovative products (and their designers)

in the interest of consumer safety

� Raise industry and consumer awareness

of the latest innovations in electrical

product safety.

Our thoughts on how the scheme

should work…

Electrical products designed and intended

to be used by consumers in and around the

home would be eligible for the scheme.

This would include household electrical

appliances and electrical installation

accessories intended for domestic use.

It is envisaged that manufacturers will be

invited to submit current-line or pre-launch

products that they believe demonstrate

‘enhanced’ safety features that would

differentiate their product from others

currently available to purchase. An example

could be a lamp holder that has a built-in

mechanism that automatically shields or

disconnects the live contacts when a lamp

is removed.

Submissions will be judged by an

independent panel comprising

representatives of key external stakeholders

including consumers, industry, and product

safety experts.

Manufacturers of products recognised

under the scheme would be able to place

an ‘ESC Safety Innovation Award’ mark on

the product, its packaging and/or the

user instructions.

If you know of an electrical product that you

believe would be worthy of such an award,

or you have any thoughts on the type of

products that should be considered, we

would like to hear from you.

Please email us at:

[email protected],

or write to us at:

The Electrical Safety CouncilProduct Safety Unit18 Buckingham GateLondonSW1E 6LB


By Richard Shaw, Managing Director, GreenBrook- the pioneers of the Powerbreaker RCD

It’s de rigeur these days to claim that your

business is customer-focused and that your

product development is customer-driven.

But long before these marketing buzzwords

became so over-used, it genuinely was a

customer request that sparked one of the

electrical industry’s biggest ever safety

improvements - the development of the

residual current device (RCD).

Now retired, Doug Knight was responsible for

developing the first applications of the

residual current device in the UK. He was the

engineering manager and later technical

director at Besson and Robinson, the electrical

relay manufacturer that would eventually

become part of GreenBrook.

The idea of a circuit-breaker was not new, but

in the 70s they were great big things that had

to be included in the original specification of

an electrical installation.

The original enquiry came from the brewer,

Watney Mann. They had a code of practice

that stated that the electric pumps in their

pubs had to be supplied from a 110 V socket

or else be connected to a circuit-breaker.

We were asked whether it would be possible

to create a circuit-breaker that would fit into a

13 A plug, and the development process

started from there.

That was over 35 years ago. The concept of

the RCD has since developed so much that

their inclusion in domestic electrical

installations to provide additional protection

is now effectively a mandatory requirement of

the UK Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) and, by

reference, building regulations compliance.

RCDs are now available in numerous

formats to suit all kinds of domestic and

commercial applications.

The irony was that the company was not

really involved in the plug and socket market

at that time. They were an electrical relay

specialist. Doug set about designing a

mechanism that could do the job using one

of their relays and, within around three

months, had produced the first product.

The first RCD that Doug produced was a

single-socket RCD in a unit the size of a

double-socket. However, he kept the

development process going, and within six

months had managed to create an RCD

socket-outlet that would fit within a normal,

surface-mounted box. Now, the company

had a product that was marketable and there

was considerable demand for it.

There had been some fatalities in discos and

other places of entertainment with young

musicians being electrocuted by faulty

equipment. So safety was high on the

agenda in the commercial world and very

much on the general public’s radar too.

GreenBrook successfully marketed the RCD

sockets for commercial use but people also

started buying them for their own homes.

By this time, the prospect of creating an RCD

in a plug seemed like a realistic goal and

there was such industry support and political

will behind achieving it that we even received

a government research grant to help us on

our way.

At this stage, GreenBrook joined EEIMA (later

part of BEAMA). This helped raise the profile of

the new-style circuit-breaker still further, and

Doug succeeded in fitting the technology

into a 13 A plug. The result was the

Powerbreaker plug-in RCD, which has been

saving lives now for 35 years.

Amazingly, it took just a year from first

concept to development of the Powerbreaker

and the brand was firmly established as a

name synonymous with electrical safety, with

Powerbreaker units available both in the trade

and from the high street.

GreenBrook has continued to develop its

range of RCD products over the past 35 years

and was responsible for introducing the first

double-pole RCD in 1988. RCDs are now

firmly established across the world as an

effective way of protecting people against

electrocution and to prevent fires associated

with some electrical faults.

Broadly speaking, there are now three types

of fixed RCD on the market. For domestic

use, the main product types are consumer

unit modules, and SRCD wall socket units,

which replace the standard, unprotected

socket-outlet.

For commercial environments where there

may be a need to connect appliances

directly to the fixed wiring, RCD-protected

fused connection units are also available.

These are installed in the same way as an

SRCD, but have only the RCD buttons, a fuse

holder and provision for a cable to be wired-

in direct, making them ideal for applications

like hand-dryers in public toilets.

Notwithstanding these innovations, there is

still a huge market for portable RCD products

ranging from plugs that can be fitted to

individual appliances, adaptors that can be

moved from appliance to appliance, and

in-line RCDs that are best suited to

applications where equipment may need to

be moved around frequently, as on a building

site for example.

GreenBrook continues to develop the

concept pioneered by Doug Knight 35 years

ago and is currently working on bringing the

next generation of SRCDs to market, which

will have enhanced features and capability.

The use of RCDs is now common in both

commercial and domestic settings and

wholesalers and contractors need to

recognise the advantages they offer both in

terms of enhanced safety and added value

when compared to standard plugs and

sockets. It’s hard to

believe that it’s

only 35 years

since we first

set about

trying to

make our

first one!

POWERBREAKERS: MAKING THE UK SAFER FOR 35 YEARS

18 SwitchedOn

RCD-protected socket-outlet (SRCD) circa 1988

Present-day SRCD

Original prototype RCD


This article follows on from a related article

in the previous edition of Switched On

(winter 2009) that gave safety

recommendations for portable appliances

provided by landlords.

Further information can be found in our

Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety, which is

freely available to view or download on our


Limited quantities of printed guides are also

available on request to [email protected]

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Where landlords provide appliances such as

electric kettles, fridges and washing machines

as part of a tenancy agreement, they are

required to ensure that the appliances are

safe for continued use. The Electrical Safety

Council recommends that such appliances

are tested either by a business competent in

PAT or a registered electrician at the start of

each tenancy and at regular intervals during

any long term tenancy.

The checks that need to be carried out will

include an inspection to ensure that:

• connections inside the plug are correct

and secure

• the fuse inside the plug is of the

correct rating

• no bare wires are visible other than at

the terminals inside the plug and

appliance, and

• there is no sign of internal damage,

overheating or entry of liquid, dust or dirt.

The person carrying out the testing will

normally use a portable appliance test

instrument to check the electrical

characteristics of the appliance. Such test

instruments are designed to carry out a range

of tests on appliances, including tests for

continuity and insulation resistance. PAT

should be carried out by suitably trained and

experienced persons, which is why we

recommend that either a business competent

in PAT or a registered electrician is employed

to do this work.

Frequency of portable appliance

testing

There are no specific legal requirements

relating to the frequency of inspecting and

testing electrical equipment, including

portable appliances. A risk assessment needs

to be made in relation to the type of

equipment, its users, and the environment in

which it is used.

The IEE Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection

and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE)

provides information relating to the in-service

inspection and testing of electrical

equipment. The Health and Safety Executive

document INDG236 Maintaining portable

electrical equipment in offices and other low-risk

environments is another useful source of

information when considering the safety of

electrical equipment.

The ISITEE Code of Practice categorises

electrical equipment as follows:

Stationary equipment: Either fixed in

position or heavier than 18 kg and

without a carrying handle, such as

refrigerators and washing machines

Information technology equipment:Such as computers, fax machines,

modems, telephones, printers

Movable (or transportable)equipment: Lighter than 18 kg and not

fixed, such as electric heaters, and equipment

with wheels, castors etc to facilitate

movement to perform its intended use, such

as compressors and air-conditioning units

Portable equipment: Equipment that

is lighter than 18 kg and moved in

operation, such as fans, table lamps, kettles,

toasters and vacuum cleaners

Hand-held equipment (portable

equipment intended to be held in the

hand during normal use, for example

hairdryers, power drills and soldering irons.

In addition to the above categories, the

frequency and range of inspection and

testing will depend upon whether the

equipment is Class I (equipment that is

required to be earthed) or Class II (equipment

having double or reinforced insulation).

The ISITEE Code of Practice gives separate

categories for the inspection and testing of

electrical equipment in industrial premises,

schools, offices, hotels etc. Although

domestic premises are not given as a separate

category, the environment that is considered

to be the least onerous (hotels, offices and

shops) could be taken as a benchmark for

domestic premises.

The intervals between inspection and tests

given in the table below are based on

information given in the ISITEE Code of

Practice and HSE INDG236. They are valid for

the first in-service inspection and test. The

intervals between subsequent inspections

and tests may need to be reduced, based on

previous results. (See page 45 of the

Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety)

The frequency of inspection and of combined

inspection and testing should be reviewed in

the light of experience of operating an

equipment maintenance system over a

period of time.

It is not normally necessary to test new items

of equipment before putting them into

service as the manufacturer will have already

tested them. However, a check should be

made that the equipment has not been

damaged in transit.

SAFETY OF PORTABLE APPLIANCES PROVIDED BY LANDLORDS

SwitchedOn 19


All the previous issues of Switched On are available to read or

download from the ‘Business & Community’ section of our website.BACK ISSUES OF SWITCHED ON

20 SwitchedOn

You are more at risk than you think …

It’s hard to believe that six electricians

are amongst the 20 tradesmen who die

from asbestos-related disease on average

every week.

Asbestos accounts for an estimated 4,000

deaths a year in Great Britain, making it

the UK’s single biggest work-based killer.

The number of deaths continues to rise and

is predicted to peak around 2015.

Asbestos can be found in any building built

or refurbished before 2000. It is estimated

that more than half a million workplace

premises could still contain asbestos.

A quarter of those dying are tradesmen or

maintenance workers who, while doing

their jobs, had unknowingly disturbed and

breathed in asbestos. That is why the Health

and Safety Executive (HSE), together with its

partners, is continuing to do all it can to

continue to raise awareness of the risks

asbestos poses to tradesmen.

Last November and this January, HSE

together with key partner organisations ran

follow-up campaigns to further target

tradesmen who are still at risk.

The campaign built on the success of the

previous one, aiming to raise awareness

amongst tradesmen that they are more at

risk than they think from asbestos, and

prompt them to find out more about

asbestos and the precautions they should

be taking.

The campaign’s key messages were:

� Asbestos can be present in any

building built or refurbished before

the year 2000

� The risks with asbestos still exist – it is

not just an issue for former tradesmen

� You may not realise it, but you may be

disturbing asbestos when you work

� Even today, an estimated 500,000

non-domestic buildings contain

asbestos and there is a duty on

landlords or owners of non-domestic

premises to ‘manage asbestos’ by

creating and maintaining a record of

where it is etc

� Generally, asbestos is only a risk if it is

disturbed or damaged causing fibres to

be released into the air. If materials

containing asbestos are in good

condition and in a position where

they are not going to be disturbed or

damaged, then it is safer to leave

them where they are

� The Control of Asbestos Regulations

2006 require mandatory information,

instruction and training for anyone

likely to be come into contact with

asbestos at work.

Don’t start work if:

� You are not sure if there is asbestos

where you are working

� The asbestos materials are sprayed

coatings, board or insulation and

lagging on pipes and boilers – only

licensed contractors should work

on these

� You have not been trained to do

non-licensed work with asbestos.

Basic awareness training is not enough.

You should only continue to work if:

� The work has been properly planned,

the right precautions are in place and

you have the right equipment

� The materials are asbestos cement,

textured coatings and certain other

materials that do not need a licence

� You have had training in asbestos work

and know how to work with it safely.

According to HSE, the ‘Hidden Killer’

campaign in 2009, supported by a range of

bodies including the Electrical Safety

Council, was a huge success. Nine out of ten

electricians heard or saw the adverts and, of

all the tradesmen who recognised the

campaign, 90% said that they had taken

precautions or planned to do so.

ASBESTOS – THE HIDDEN KILLER

� HSE’s asbestos web pages at www.hse.gov.uk/hiddenkiller

� Asbestos essentials’ gives guidance on non-licensed work – download it from the asbestos web pages at www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

� HSE’s Infoline Tel: 0845 345 0055 E-mail: [email protected]

Further information


switched on issue 16

Documents

electrical safety council

safety remit

selectnew trustees

thecouncils trustees

new role

electricalsafety council

range of safety initiatives

general election year