warning to other sparks about safe zones!

[tanglewood]

Hi all, First fixed refurbished kitchen in old property, stripped out old wiring, ran in new ring main to kitchen and cooker circuit. Really awkward cable runs due to new steel RSJ across width of kitchen, and no access from 2nd floor. All cables run in 17th edition 'safe zones' , problem comes from kitchen fitters (bless um) drilling 150mm core hole for extractor hose within 150mm from ceiling! Yep, straight through cables with 6" core drill ! Customer blaming me for ,'because you knew there was an extractor going there' Me explaining that cables had to be run there and showing safe zone diagram to customer and kitchen fitter. Result...kitchen fitters arent electricians and we as sparkys have to make sure (although our job is hard enough as it is) that other trades are aware of safe zones!

 

[electromonkey]

Rubbish. Any kitchen fitter worth a pinch of salt should be aware of safe zones. Generally good practice on their part is to speak to the spark and plumber before hand.

Stick to your guns mate. They'll have to stump up for the repair work!

 

[Richard]

Hi all, First fixed refurbished kitchen in old property, stripped out old wiring, ran in new ring main to kitchen and cooker circuit. Really awkward cable runs due to new steel RSJ across width of kitchen, and no access from 2nd floor. All cables run in 17th edition 'safe zones' , problem comes from kitchen fitters (bless um) drilling 150mm core hole for extractor hose within 150mm from ceiling! Yep, straight through cables with 6" core drill ! Customer blaming me for ,'because you knew there was an extractor going there' Me explaining that cables had to be run there and showing safe zone diagram to customer and kitchen fitter. Result...kitchen fitters arent electricians and we as sparkys have to make sure (although our job is hard enough as it is) that other trades are aware of safe zones!

What cables? Surely if they were drilling for a cooker hood, then this was plumb center with the hob...asuming it vented out the back?

Edit: Read it properly..150 from ceiling

 

[Octopus]

I mentioned safe zones to one of my neighbours earlier this week and was met with a very puzzled look.

Its all very well having safe zones, Part P etc BUT this important information needs to be marekted to Joe Public.

As for your kitchen fitters - they REALLY should know better!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Perhaps the kitchen fitters have never fitted a kitchen before?

 

[pjcomp]

In my experience safe zones are rarely known outside the trade, and not properly understood even then. Kitchen fitters don't know what they are any more than bus drivers do. BUT .. I would expect a fitter to talk to the electrician about possible cable runs before sticking their core drill through anything. By the same token I'd have expected the electrician on the job to know a cooker hood was going in and either avoid the area or discuss the problem with the other trades. The way you've explained it, sounds like six of one and half a dozen of the other.

PJ

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I would expect anybody who has to drill large holes through walls for a living, to have some idea of where cables are likely to be.
If they don't know, then they should st least have the sense to ask.

 

[Geoffsd]

Wasn't there a line of cement where you had run the cable?

 

[gooner85]

you could probably still see the capping knowing kitchen fitters

 

[catelec]

Its all very well having safe zones, Part P etc BUT this important information needs to be marekted to Joe Public.

Here, here!!

 

[netblindpaul]

Anyone who is working on buildings must be aware of the building regulations.
This is where Part P should be coming to our aid.
We should be quoting the requirements of this to them i.e. 7671 and telling them in no uncertain terms that if they are not aware of the requirements of the building regulations that may affect the work they do then they are incompetent and thus should not be undertaking the work, because that is the truth.

 

[telectrix]

surely incompetence is a mandatory requirement for qualifying as a kitchen fitter?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

surely incompetence is a mandatory requirement for qualifying as a kitchen fitter?

Was just about to correct you, when I noticed the 'in' in front of competence.
Although saying that, I had a go at replacing my Daughter's Kitchen work surface over the weekend (well kitchen fitters do electrics, so why shouldn't I do their job?).
I've got an ELU Router, a worktop jig and everything.
Not quite as easy as I thought it would be.

 

[telectrix]

some years ago, i rebuilt my dad's kitchen. all the units were made by me from sheet material, no flat pack pre-built carcasses, the plinths and bases were 6"x2" solid pine from demolition yard, the worktops made out of the slate bed of a scrapped snooker table. with the plumbing the whole lot cost less than £500.

 

[sparks72]

I had a similar thing happen a while ago, customer didn't blame me though. (must be that unfriendly glare I give now & then)
What I do in a new kitchen is put sticky notes on the cable routes if I know I'm not going to be there when the kitchen fitters arrive.
It only takes 10 minutes, I haven't had a problem in the last 5 years.