Do socket outlets in a Pub need to be RCD/RCBO protected!

[MerlinGremlin]

What are peoples thoughts on this, should socket outlets in the general public areas be RCD/RCBO protected? I believe they do and have put them down as a C2 on a recent EICR but recently got a phone call to say it's a C3!

 

[MerlinGremlin]

Is this pub a one off or are your company involved with chain because your QS maybe maintaining continuity through the Reporting system.

We look after a number of pubs, restaurants

 

[littlespark]

Back to the pub... I have come across the OP question before. I had worked in a pub between jobs, and they had a company in doing the EICR for insurance. Their tester C2'd all the socket circuits saying that they needed to be RCD protected as they could be used for outside equipment...unless they were labelled for a specific equipment. ie... label a socket for bandit only, or jukebox only etc.
My boss used to get annoyed with customers plugging in their own phone chargers. Sometimes he would trip the breaker on purpose and blame them

 

[Toneyz]

Back to the pub... I have come across the OP question before. I had worked in a pub between jobs, and they had a company in doing the EICR for insurance. Their tester C2'd all the socket circuits saying that they needed to be RCD protected as they could be used for outside equipment...unless they were labelled for a specific equipment. ie... label a socket for bandit only, or jukebox only etc.
My boss used to get annoyed with customers plugging in their own phone chargers. Sometimes he would trip the breaker on purpose and blame them

Customers shouldn't be doing that.

 

[littlespark]

Customers shouldn't be doing that.

Of course they shouldn't.... but this lot wouldn't listen.

Pub pet hates:
Beer mats under the pool table when there's nothing wrong with it.
Customers telling the well trained staff how to pour a pint/what's wrong with the gas/how much change to give....

I could go on forever

 

[sparksburnout]

What are peoples thoughts on this, should socket outlets in the general public areas be RCD/RCBO protected? I believe they do and have put them down as a C2 on a recent EICR but recently got a phone call to say it's a C3!

I think that, given the nature of the environment, and the nature of a lot of the people in that environment, common sense would suggest, certainly as far as the landlord is concerned, that you are correct. Why on earth would you not fit them?

 

[Toneyz]

Normally I would say if inspected to BS7671 C3 however I see page 11 regarding installations to earlier editions "this does not mean that they will fail to achieve conformity with the relevant parts of the EWR 1989.Also regs 114 & 115.Having thought about it I am I & T to BS7671 so C3,C2 if it was a outside socket. The pub should have a risk assessment in place to the activities taking place on its premises.

 

[Risteard]

Normally I would say if inspected to BS7671 C3 however I see page 11 regarding installations to earlier editions "this does not mean that they will fail to achieve conformity with the relevant parts of the EWR 1989.Also regs 114 & 115.Having thought about it I am I & T to BS7671 so C3,C2 if it was a outside socket. The pub should have a risk assessment in place to the activities taking place on its premises.

A statement suggests that an installation installed to an earlier Edition may not necessarily be unsafe. That certainly isn't the same thing as stating that it definitely is safe, however.

It is clear that since RCD protection is now required it must be attributed a coded observation. It is up to the Inspector to assess how serious the ommission of RCD protection is. So certainly it could be justified to suggest that C3 is insufficient in the particular circumstances, and that, therefore, a C2 would be more appropriate.