What IP code for shower room lights?

[Sparky83]

At a building I work at they have a gym with changing rooms.

Within the changing rooms are shower cubicles, these are completely enclosed cubicles almost like small separate rooms.

Originally they had fix head showers in the shower part of the cubicle. But these have since been changed for shower heads on flexi pipe.

The ceiling in these cubicles Is quite high and the current lights are IP54.

Someone has mentioned that they are no longer correctly rated as the shower heads could now be used to clean the top part of the tiled wall by the cleaners as they move now but where fixed before.

I can measure the ceiling height to confirm what zone they are actually in but wondered if the fact that the shower "could" now be sprayed directly at the light if it ment a higher IP rating would be needed?

 

[D Skelton]

Outside of the zones then minimum IP rating is IP2X (haven't got regs to hand so correct me if I'm wrong), however this one is really down to you to make a judgement call using a common sense approach.

Is anyone actually going to point and shoot at the light fitting with the shower head? If not then leave as is, if you think that there is a reasonable risk of this happening, then change them, IPX5 would suffice.

 

[Sparky83]

I'd like to think that no one would intentionally take the shower hose off and point it at the light but I wouldn't like to assume that it'll "never" happen.

 

[D Skelton]

I'd like to think that no one would intentionally take the shower hose off and point it at the light but I wouldn't like to assume that it'll "never" happen.

Put it this way, when you add a socket outlet or a light switch in a building, do you assume that someone is going to take a hammer to it? No. So why assume that someone is going to point and shoot at the light fitting in the shower.

Still, if it makes you feel comfortable then change it. I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm merely pointing out that it is an entirely personal choice based on your own perceived risk factors.

 

[Sparky83]

I totally agree that you can't account for every possible eventuality (or idiot).

But knowing what the cleaners in here are like I'd expect them to use the shower to wash the high(ish) level walls when cleaning which could inadvertently lead to them being sprayed.

 

[D Skelton]

I totally agree that you can't account for every possible eventuality (or idiot).

But knowing what the cleaners in here are like I'd expect them to use the shower to wash the high(ish) level walls when cleaning which could inadvertently lead to them being sprayed.

Then let them. They'll soon learn to stop when things go bang!