"missing blanks"

[not-a-sparkess]

Dear all

I am not an electrician, but would love the benefit of your collective wisdom.

An electrician has assessed a premises and noted that there are "missing blanks" in a board.

Can someone explain to me what the significance of this is - in basic terms please!

What is the risk to occupiers ( residential) and staff ( H&SawAct applies too)

thanks in advance

Nota sparkess

 

[ac.electrical]

Hi,

This means that the live parts in the db can be touched by somebody the blanks are for protection to stop anybody touching live condutors.

Hope this helps

 

[not-a-sparkess]

Ok does that mean ( sorry I told you this was basic) ]

Someone can get electrocuted by touching the missing blanks . Are the "blanks" a cover for live wiring

Do they have another name apart from "blanks" - ie is this a casual name for a more technical name?

thank you for your help

 

[ac.electrical]

sorry i didnt explain my self clearly, there blanks are there to block fill the gaps in the db the blanks go where the mcbs go so if you got a ten way board and only nine circuits you would put a blank in to fill the 1 spare way in the db. There is a high risk of somebody being electrocuted if they stick the fingers etc in the place where the blank should be. Hope this is clearer. as far as im aware they are called blanks in the idustry terms.

 

[not-a-sparkess]

Thank you very much thats really really useful

 

[mogga]

if its a commercial premis check db make as some have covers for the busbar (where you connect the MCBs ) missing blanks may seem trivial but whenhomeowners children,diyers,mangers in commercial there is the probability that some oen will touch a live part

 

[Des 56]

A distribution board is build as a standard,so they come with set amonts of circuits that can be installed
Generally,the boards are capable of providing more circuits than is needed,this is to allow for future additions

When that board is installed,each circuit will have a fuse/circuit breaker installed that mostly fills up the board

Any spare ways that have not been taken up, can be filled with mcbs, as spare circuit devices, or they can be blanked off with bits of ready made plastic covers

The covers themselves are not dangerous,the ommision of spare mcbs or covers to prevent a person inserting a finger or object,is considered to be code 1 deviation from the regulations,because of the potential for a person to do just that, and possibly get killed or injured by inserting those objects or fingers

They should be installed urgently or a temporary cover made until they are

They are not in themselves dangerous if people dont interfere,but the potential for danger is why it is regarded as code 1 (which is a present or potential danger to persons or of fire)

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

In layman's terms it's a gap where someone could put there fingers in and touch a live part and potentially be electrocuted.

Would advise to get sorted ASAP, wouldn't be that expensive a job to get carried out.