Does this look safe?

EHOnotDIY · Feb 1, 2023

Hi, I inspect homes for safety as part of my job. I saw this junction box in a splash zone above a wash basin, it's next to a shower/steam unit supplying the control panel to that. Property has a very recent satisfactory EICR but I know not everything is inspected. I can't see how the wires from the bottom of this junction box can be properly sealed to keep water out if not both enclosed in one sheath. I didn't look to see if any gaps had been filled with silicone sealant or anything because I'm not an electrician or a DIYer so wouldn't know what I was checking for. Does it look acceptable to anybody who does know? Thanks

James · Feb 1, 2023

I would not expect that to be compliant.
cables look poorly supported
junction box is unlikely to be securely fixed to the wall
ip rating of the box may have been compromised by the incorrect use of glands.

if you inspect homes for safety a part of your job and you have not been trained to spot potentially dangerous electrical equipment or installation methods,
surely your employer has a documented method of proving the electrical systems are safe.
the only way to be sure would in my opinion be to employ a qualified electrician to inspect, test and report their findings to you.

EHOnotDIY · Feb 1, 2023

James said:
I would not expect that to be compliant.
cables look poorly supported
junction box is unlikely to be securely fixed to the wall
ip rating of the box may have been compromised by the incorrect use of glands.

if you inspect homes for safety a part of your job and you have not been trained to spot potentially dangerous electrical equipment or installation methods,
surely your employer has a documented method of proving the electrical systems are safe.
the only way to be sure would in my opinion be to employ a qualified electrician to inspect, test and report their findings to you.

Thank you. Yes I have had basic training, mainly to try and spot bypassing of the meter box. The default for anything which doesn't look right is to ask the landlord to employ an electrician to confirm to me that it is safe. I didn't want to put the landlord to this expense without a second opinion as the satisfactory EICR was only produced a week ago and is usually fairly reliable for picking up items like this, that made me a bit uncertain about whether it was reasonable to call an electrician back

timhoward · Feb 1, 2023

It's not a great photo - is the flex split underneath?

EHOnotDIY · Feb 1, 2023

timhoward said:
It's not a great photo - is the flex split underneath?

The underneath has 2 separate cables going in, the grey cable and the earth. That's what made me think an effective seal couldn't be made without any outer sheath. The box was screwed to the wall.

Dustydazzler · Feb 1, 2023

Looks like a rough old install , I wouldn't be happy with it like that

EHOnotDIY · Feb 1, 2023

Thanks I'll be asking the landlord to get an electrician in to either make it safe or to confirm it is safe. Thanks for the replies

IAmSparkytus! · Feb 2, 2023

EHOnotDIY said:
Thanks I'll be asking the landlord to get an electrician in to either make it safe or to confirm it is safe. Thanks for the replies

Maybes suggest getting a different electrician to the one who carried out the recent EICR as they’ll more than likely say it’s OK again

brianmoooore · Feb 2, 2023

Dustydazzler said:
Looks like a rough old install

Rough, definitely, but I don't think it looks that old!
Pic quality is too poor to see clearly, but as far as I can tell, there's tape around the top cable, and then the bend radius tightens up. SWA with the ends of the armour taped over, and then the inner sheath going into the gland?
Certainly looks like it could do with checking over by someone not connected to whoever was responsible for the EICR.

EHOnotDIY · Feb 3, 2023

Thanks, I had to reduce the image to allow it to upload and it's not the best angle of it. I contacted the electrician who'd done the EICR and he has now confirmed to me that he hadn't noticed it, so hadn't seen it and thought it safe. From invoices provided by the landlord the work was done by a different electrician in 2108. I should've said in my first post that I'm an Environmental Health Officer. I'm going to ask for it to be specifically checked. If it turns out that it is safe the landlord will be able to claim the cost of that back from my employer (a local authority)