Work in bathroom outside the zones

[echoes]

Often, posters are informed that any work in a bathroom is notifiable. If the work is outside the zones, then I understood that it was not necessarily notifiable:

"2. Work which—
(a)is not in a kitchen, or a special location;"

...

"4. For the purposes of this Schedule—

“special location” means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, seventeenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2008(2)."

Have I missed something?

 

[EFLImpudence]

No takers?


echoes - You are correct.

I will admit I only noticed that not so long ago.

Has it been altered since introduction?

 

[Spark123]

Yes - it is only work in the zones which requires notification. Work inside the room outside the zones doesn't require notification (unless for another reason) according to the law, guidance documents would have you believe otherwise.
It used to refer to 16th edn regs, apart from that it says the same.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

But Part 7 states a location containing a bath or shower as a special locations and table two of part p, states a special location is one that contains a bath tub or shower basin, no mention of zones.
The only exception is when replacing existing equipment.

 

[Spark123]

Are you reading guidance material or the actual building regs?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I need guidance the building regulation make no sense!
Schedule 4 states as previously posted
4. For the purposes of this Schedule—
“kitchen” means a room or part of a room which contains a sink and food preparation facilities;“self-contained” in relation to a fixed building service means consisting of a single appliance and any associated controls which is neither connected to, nor forms part of, any other fixed building service;“special installation” means an electric floor or ceiling heating system, an outdoor lighting or electric power installation, an electricity generator, or an extra-low voltage lighting system which is not a pre-assembled lighting set bearing the CE marking referred to in regulation 9 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994(1);“special location” means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, seventeenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2008(2).


That is for non notifiable work and what is meant by " For the purposes of this Schedule—"?
Section P of Approved doc part p makes no mention of notifiable work being limited to zones of bath/shower rooms only!

 

[Spark123]

For the purpose of the whole of schedule 4:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2214/schedule/4/made

Approved document P isn't the law, it is guidance which is incorrect. Thankfully you can't be posecuted for failure to comply with a guidance document, you can for breaking the law though.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

So providing you do not alter/extend/add to any circuits within the zones of a location containing bath tub/shower basin, then it's not not (providing it's not a new circuit)?

 

[JohnW2]

Yes - it is only work in the zones which requires notification. Work inside the room outside the zones doesn't require notification (unless for another reason) according to the law, guidance documents would have you believe otherwise.

Indeed - and, just like EFLI, I only realised this quite recently. However, given the minimum 3m horizontal limit for sockets (other than proper shaver outlets) there is not all that much (of a compliant nature!) that one might contemplate doing to 'power' circuits in most bathrooms that would be non-notifiable.

However, when it comes to lighting (and some extractor fans), and despite the 'advice' which is often given, provided the light fittings are at least 2.25m above FFL, as far as I can see the rules about what is and is not notifiable are no different in a bathroom than they would be in any other room.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[echoes]

Thanks all.

Taking my own unremarkable 8" x 6" bathroom as an example: the light switch, the isolator for the cabinet, and the shaver socket are all outside the zones. Only thing in the zones is the light fitting itself (low ceilings). Extractor fan isolator is on the landing and fan's in the loft.

And if I wanted an electric element for the towel warmer (I don't want one), or to put a shower pump under the bath (I wouldn't put one there), that's all outside the zones as well.

 

[JohnW2]

And if I wanted an electric element for the towel warmer (I don't want one), or to put a shower pump under the bath (I wouldn't put one there), that's all outside the zones as well.

Yes, provided the towel rail wasn't connected by a plug/socket within the bathroom, that would be compliant and outside the zones. The pump under the bath would only be acceptable if a tool was required to gain access to that space - otherwise it would deemed to be part of Zone 1.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[echoes]

And if I wanted an electric element for the towel warmer (I don't want one), or to put a shower pump under the bath (I wouldn't put one there), that's all outside the zones as well.

Yes, provided the towel rail wasn't connected by a plug/socket within the bathroom, that would be compliant and outside the zones. The pump under the bath would only be acceptable if a tool was required to gain access to that space - otherwise it would deemed to be part of Zone 1.

Kind Regards, John.

Indeed.