The building regs define a kitchen as 'a room or part of a room which contains a sink and food preparation facilities'.
'Facilities' doesn't necessarily have to be an 'area' - you could still prepare a pot noodle on the draining board (which is highly likely in this situation) and in fact that is where the kettle is being stood.
As per the building regs "accessories should be installed a minimum of 300mm from the edge of kitchen sinks and draining boards to reduce the risk of being splashed".
'Directly behind the sink' is not 300mm from the edge of the sink and draining board.
Either the socket or the sink should be moved so they are at least 300mm from each other.
If it is, small shelf about 400mm high clip kettle cord for base or screw base to shelf so cannot be moved and use a masterseal plug, job done. No one get hurt unless they intentionally removed the cable clips or base from shelf and puts in water.
I think trying to come up with ingenious ways to make the existing situation 'legal' is the wrong way of going about it.
So this is a factory? How many people work there and are therefore likely to be using this "kitchen"?
Secondly where do the staff go to consume what they have produced in this "kitchen"? Do they all try to cram into what it sounds like was intended as a cleaners' cupboard during their breaks?
Is this more of a 'sweat shop' than a factory, in which case why are they even taking breaks?
Without seeing the place I am going to guess that they have some kind of 'canteen' or 'break room' where everyone sits at break time, probably with a microwave in it, in which case I would suggest putting the kettle there. Maybe even the sink as well, and go back to using the old "kitchen" as a cleaners' cupboard, but the socket behind the sink still has to go.
I have to agree with Baldelectrician on almost everything he says except one !
I wouldn’t be walking away I’d be running lol.
Definitely if your...
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