RCD/RCBO in an office refurbishment

[DOKAJM]

Client is having some refurbishment in an office and i am tasked with relocating/removing/adding some sockets due to walls being moved etc.

Currently none of the sockets in the building are protected by any RCD/RCBO. The majority of the cables feeding sockets will be t&e ran under floor grates to floor boxes of 4x twin sockets. Some however will be chased into solid walls. My initial thought was to cover ourselves the best course of action would be to put all circuits feeding sockets onto and RCBO back at the board, however alot of the sockets will have computers plugged into them and this can create induced DC voltages causing the Rcbos to trip which would have a potential to affect the clients work. I am also unaware if they will have a competent i.e maintenance employee who has a knowledge of RCD/RCBOs on site?

Finally with the possibility of any ground floor sockets being used to supply any equipment that may be used outside (highly unlikely but never the less) should then all ground floor sockets be protected by an RCBO? Any advice appreciated.

 

[westward10]

Not withstanding if you think it is not your problem, it was the process that I was questioning, most on here seem to go straight into the "Risk Assessment" without any consideration for the required "Hazard Analysis" when the structure of the process is clearly indicated in HSE guidance.

What has this to do with the OPs query. BS7671 asks for a documented risk assessment which the client carries out.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Nothing, it was an observation on the incorrect use of "Risk Assessment" prior to a "Hazard Analysis" being carried out, as I said earlier a "Risk Assessment" by itself is useless, without its correctly documented procedure and being taken to its conclusion with a "Method Statement" if required by the contractor carrying out the work, not the client!

 

[Mike Johnson]

What has this to do with the OPs query. BS7671 asks for a documented risk assessment which the client carries out.

Just thought I would clarify the above: If the installation is on a commercial premises then indeed the Principle Contractor or Principle Designer may well prepare the "Risk Assessment" and then ask each contractor for their "Method Statements" if however the premises are domestic and you as the contractor are the only contractor on site then you are the Principle Contractor and Principle Designer and the process falls to you and not the client. (CDM Regulation 7)

 

[DPG]

I'm not sure this is helping the OP.

 

[westward10]

Just thought I would clarify the above: If the installation is on a commercial premises then indeed the Principle Contractor or Principle Designer may well prepare the "Risk Assessment" and then ask each contractor for their "Method Statements" if however the premises are domestic and you as the contractor are the only contractor on site then you are the Principle Contractor and Principle Designer and the process falls to you and not the client. (CDM Regulation 7)

Nothing needed clarifying. It is commercial the risk assessment is for omitting additional rcd protection carried out by the client. The RAMs required from the OP is for their working methods which are a separate issue.

 

[Ian1981]

For clarity to the OP, to omit rcd protection to socket outlets in non domestic installations then a risk assessment is required as per bs7671 to which you are designed, installing and certifying to, the option to label a socket for specific use was removed in the 18th edition due to abuse of the said regulation.
Same thing may happen to the RA method as it’s supposed to be attached to any installation works certificate but I believe the word is that this has also been abused so in the DPC amendment 2 of bs7671, they plan to remove this as well.