site electrical

[Simon_Davis]

We have just bought an old shop what we are going to be refurbishing. Its pretty large, about 25M wide by 70M in length, and has 4 floors (top floor is half the size of the other 3 floors). at the moment there is nothing inside. the only power we have is a 3 phase supply going into a large switch fuse. all the existing DB's etc have already been stripped out.

The place will be gettin re-wired by an electrician, but that wont be happening for another few weeks and we need power before then.

What are the regulations regarding temporary site electrical and lighting? does there have to be emergency lighting or anything?
We will need 230V throughout the building, and we will also have 110V transformers at various points

Many thanx for your advice

 

[breezer]

get a generator and some temoray lights.

if there is no distribution board there is not a lot else you can do, (apart from call another electricain who may be able to do the job earlier)

 

[Simon_Davis]

getting a generator isnt an option. we have a working 3 phase supply to the building so i was planning on getting a small CU with RCD and wiring this onto a phase via the switch fuse. my main concern is all the extensions going all over the building supplying power and lights. even if we did get a generator there would still be extensions all over the building. a mate has also told me there must be emergency lighting since there are only wibdows at the front of the building. is this true?

 

[breezer]

i am not wishing to be alkward but you appear not to be qualified to do any of the work, you will need to get an electricain, sorry.

you should also consider if you ignore my advice that it is a commercial property you are working in, you need the correct qualifications AND INSURANCE to work in such a place.

insurance invesigator ................ahh well now the firebrigade have been MR Davis, who did you say wired this place?

as for emergency lights it depends on what the intended use of the building is for, it probably needs a fire alarm too.

I understand your "desperation" to get things up and running, but you could satnd to loose everthing all because you didn't get a qualified electricain in to do the job properly in the first place.

also it will cost you more your way.

you put in a cu, (without killing endangering yourself, electrician comes along an has to check your work, and do it all again, cost instanly goes upsince the same job is being done twice.

in short

dont do it

 

[andy]

insurance invesigator ................ahh well now the firebrigade have been MR Davis, who did you say wired this place?

as for emergency lights it depends on what the intended use of the building is for, it probably needs a fire alarm too.

i think he is on about temporary power. he did say an electrician is goin to do the wirin

as for emergency lights, im not sure wether they are needed or not, so someone else can asnwer that

 

[Simon_Davis]

breezer, you may have misunderstood what i want. i am talking about temporary site power, im not going to do the re-wire. thats for an electrician at a later date. what i wanted to know was if there are any regulations regarding temporary site power. local council will be making visits to check the demolition/building work

 

[breezer]

the onlything you can "slack on" regarding temporary is clipping (believe it or not)

everthing else still stands, so you still need an electricain, insurance etc.

also the phrase "there is nothing so permanent as a temporay job" springs to mind

just because its a temp job does not mean the rule book goes through the window, there is still safety to be concerned with

 

[Simon_Davis]

breezer - thanks for the reply. so what way should i take extensions around the building? most lights will be fixed to the ceiling along with some floodlight stands forwork requiring more light. do you have any links to sites regarding temporary site power and lighting? many thanks

 

[breezer]

what you do and how you do it is up to you.

if i were in your shoes, but not being qualified i would hire a generator and some site lights,cables etc from local hire shop

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Temporary site power will be covered by the EAWR, there are probably other H&S rules to follow, and should also conform to BS7671.

Regarding emergency lighting I'd suggest portable maintained worklights.

A couple of questions/points:

1) Why do you need 230V during the refurbishment?

2) AFAIK, if this is going to be a place of work, you have to have somebody responsible for H&S who knows what all the laws and regulations are, and it doesn't sound like you are that person....

 

[breezer]

i was also thinking the word demolition was mentioned, so i figure this is a shop being gutted, why not get a qualified contractor in or "siteforman" and let him worry about everthing

 

[Simon_Davis]

breezer - wether i get a generator or use the existing supply, there will still be power needed throughout the building, so the situation regarding cables/lighting will still be the same. therefore i do not see the point in hiring a generator for 2 month when i have a 3 phase supply already there ready to be used

 

[breezer]

therefore i do not see the point in hiring a generator for 2 month when i have a 3 phase supply already there ready to be used

i can see that you don't

what part of "you are not qualified" do you not understand? if you were to hire everything it all comes with leads and plugs all ready fitted, so long as its plugged in ok, etc etc, cables not in anyones wayetc etc, if anything goes wrong you can stand back

 

[Simon_Davis]

ban all sheds - all tools are 110v, however, the toop floor is being used for living in, so we need 240v there. also, there are onky 4 people on the job so afaik we dont need a H&S policy. we do have risk assessments
breezer - there isnt much demolition. just making the 3rd floor bigger so a few walls have to come down and be rebuilt in a different place.

all i asked for was any info in regulations etc, but since youd rather tell me i have to get a generator when there is already a working supply, and all you have done is moan, ill just take none of your advice. its getting done.

 

[TeesdaleSpark]

Temporary wiring needs to comply with the regs as does permanent wiring.

Normally an Electrician would fit a temporary board at the service head. This would comprise of a number of 13A Socket Outlets protected by a RCD. The various trades would bring their transformer and plug it in. If you have a main contractor he would bring his own temporary 110v lighting. If you have a number of different contractors they would bring their own and sort it out as they go along.

So all you need to do is get an electrician to put a temporary site board in for you.