holmslaw said:
Repairing or replacing are maintenace items, thats why local isolatos should be fitted.
You don't seem to have grasped the difference of switching off for mechanical maintenance, and isolation. However, the same device may be used for both.
In BS7671 mechanical maintenance is replacement, refurbishment or cleaning of lamps and
non electrical parts. Furthermore, switching off for mechanical maintenance is required where the maintenance may involve risk of physical injury. (Such as cleaning a fan which has moving parts
holmslaw said:
Local isolators are for the benefit of everyone.
Only if they are competent, otherwise they shouldn't be working on the equipment.
holmslaw said:
Although it may be good and accepted practice to have a DP shower switch I have never come accross a regulation that states one is needed,
Well you have now, also look at 132.15.1, absolutely clear to anyone who puts responsibility above profit.
132.15.1...effectice means, suitable placed. e.g. main switch in a house, locked off !
holmslaw said:
as (provided they can be locked off) the main switch in the consumer unit, or an MCB in a TN system provide perfectly adequate means of isolation for a shower in a domestic situation.
Nonsense, so when my shower packs up, you turn up switch off the main switch and I lose my central heating and all the food in the freezer is ruined.
No, you turn off at the main switch, repair or make safe the shower, and turn back on. Or you lock off the mcb. I dont see a major outage here, just an inconveience. I don't recall an inconvenience being a reason to depart from EAWR law. I don't see how a pull cord or a DP switch outside the bathroom is a safe and reliable means of
isolation in this case.
Look the point I am making is there is a distinct difference between isolation and switching off for mech. maint. As stated MI state that a DP switch should be installed, however, I am questioning the purpose of such a switch. Take for example a pull cord switch which could be argued is in the supervision of the person working on the shower. While your back is turned your mate or a builder or whoever may walk in and pull it thinking its the light switch, zap ! If its a DP switch o/s the room then even worse, anyone could switch it without you knowing.
AT best a shower switch's only logical purose is as a functional switch.