E.I.C.R Question

[ElectriciSte]

Hi.
While carrying out an E.I.C.R on a residential home, I came across a shower located in the treatment room.
The shower was sited next to a sink and is only used by the mobile hairdresser. The hose when stretched out across the room is only 200-300mm away from the shower isolator and a double socket outlet. The shower, socket and lighting circuits (in the treatment room) are protected only by their individual circuit breakers, BS60898.
The installation was passed as Satisfactory back in August 2009?

Any opinions would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Richard Burns]

If it is a shower used for washing hair and not for full body immersion then it is generally not considered a room containing a shower and then it is just the application of suitable for the environment.
Considerations of the extent of the shower hose are not entirely relevant as it would not be expected that the shower would be sprayed outside of the sink.
Obviously current regulations would likely require RCD protection at the very least to the socket outlet, but these are not retroactive, however I would likely put a comment on the EICR to the effect that RCD protection might be advised for greater safety.

However this is an opinion and not a statement of the regulations, it is your opinion as the competent tester that counts.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

The socket is C3 as a minimum, and it was also the same back in 2009. All general purpose socket outlets require RCD protection in accordance with reg 415.1.1. In BS7671:2008

There are a few exceptions, but the situation you have isn't one of them.

Cheers…………Howard