safety zones within kitchen

[too old to learn]

Hi,
can i ask for a number of opinions on this small matter ).

why is it that safety zones are ran down each side of the wall and horizontally/ vertically from all sockets?

if you are fitting kitchen wall units against a back wall you always fasten the units right in the corner (or at least it is possible to) therefore going straight through the mentioned safety zone cable?

also, is it possible to run a cable horizontally from an all ready installed socket, around a corner of a room into another socket? reason for this is due to a window preventing from dropping a cable from above. therefore, if the ground is concrete, this is the only way to route a cable in a "safety zone". if you are required to bury all cables.

I look forward to opinions on this if you have the time.

many thanks

P.S. these are all queries, i understand about part p and building control etc. just hoping i may have your opinion, thanks in advance!

 

[electronicsuk]

The zones that run horizontally and vertically from an accessory are there to make it relatively obvious that a cable is likely to be concealed in one of those zones. That doesn't physically stop you putting a nail or screw through it when fitting a kitchen cabinet, but it does allow you to ascertain where NOT to put a screw or nail. It works fine if both the original installer of the cable and the person putting fixings in the wall are aware of where the safe zones exist.

As for the zones that run in corners and along the ceiling, I can't answer that one - it doesn't make sense to me either. Seems to me that you're just as likely to want to put something in a corner (shelf, cabinet) as anywhere else. However, any prudent installer should use a cable detector before putting any fixings into the wall. They aren't infallible, but they certainly help.

And yes, you can run a cable in the horizontal safe zones around a corner between two accessories. As long as they are both installer at the same height then each accessory will create horizontal and vertical zones on the wall to which they are attached.

 

[ColJack]

I think it's more to do with hanging pictures..

you're unlikely to put a nail in a wall for a picture right in the corner..

also you'll be holding the nail when you knock it in.. whereas you're holding an insulated drill whilst drilling a hole..

 

[LiamPope]

And yes, you can run a cable in the horizontal safe zones around a corner between two accessories. As long as they are both installer at the same height then each accessory will create horizontal and vertical zones on the wall to which they are attached.

But presumably, even if the accessories aren't at the same height, you can go horizontally to the corner, up or down in the corner zone as required, then horizontally to the other accessory?

Liam

 

[Taylortwocities]

Liam, you are correct.
Like the other poster, I think the 150mm from a ceiling/corner rule is nuts but its there. Its a pity that its only electricians that know about it and not kitchen fitters (and those securing coving!).

 

[DCC]

Its nuts but to be honest no more nuts than the assumption that average Joe with a hammer and nail or a christmas cordless will know about the horizontal and vertical zones - I bet if you polled a good cross-section of people it would be a minority that knew about safe zones.

 

[nozspark]

If you are having a new kitchen installed then you could go down from one socket (chased in to below worktop) and surface clip behind cabinets and chase back up to new socket. When you come to fit the units you can just notch the back of the cabinet!!!

 

[Spark123]

Its nuts but to be honest no more nuts than the assumption that average Joe with a hammer and nail or a christmas cordless will know about the horizontal and vertical zones - I bet if you polled a good cross-section of people it would be a minority that knew about safe zones.

Most know not to drill directly above or below a socket or light switch, not a lot seem to know about horizontal safe zones tho.

 

[too old to learn]

thanks for all the opinions.

I think everyone is agreed, the zones are good to know about and at least hopefully preventing dodgy angled cable runs. But as we know, the average bloke in the street would have no idea and could quite happily bash a nail either above a socket or horizontally from a socket, guess this is where we should be thankful of RCD's. well for the houses that have them fitted .

One thing that still bothers me is the safety zones in respect of if you are going around corners. just because you have one socket on one wall should not mean that you can go all around the room at that level and be within a safe zone. sometimes even some sockets can be well hidden.

still, if your an electrician worth your salt, the area your working in should be made dead ).

which always brings to another point of borrowed lives etc from other circuits, but I will leave that one lol.

Again, thanks for the replies

 

[maltaron]

The average Joe does'n't even know Part P exists, let alone safe zones, and there must be thousands of houses which still have rewireable Wylex CU's with no RCD.

 

[LiamPope]

One thing that still bothers me is the safety zones in respect of if you are going around corners. just because you have one socket on one wall should not mean that you can go all around the room at that level and be within a safe zone. sometimes even some sockets can be well hidden.

Dont think that's quite right. You can't go all around a room horizontally on account of a single accessory - only horizontally along the wall the accessory is on. To go round a whole room horizontally there'd have to be an accessory on each wall at the relevant height.

Liam

 

[Taylortwocities]

That's not what the regs say. Read 522.6.6 and let me know if you spot the word "corner".

 

[ColJack]

".... or within 150mm of an angle formed by 2 adjoining walls or partitions."

that under any rational definition is a corner..

 

[Taylortwocities]

But that wording is relating to the 150mm margins.

The discussion above is if the horizontal zone terminates when it gets to a crease in the wall fabric.

As far as i can see it doesnt.

 

[LiamPope]

That's not what the regs say. Read 522.6.6 and let me know if you spot the word "corner".

Not sure what you're getting at. I know about the corner zones (or the zones 'within 150mm of an angle formed by two adjoining walls or partitions' if you prefer). I was just disagreeing with the OP's comment that you have a horizontal safe zone around all four walls of a room on account of a single accessory on one wall. The OSG shows the horizontal safe zone terminating at the corner of the wall and not continuing round the corner onto the adjoining wall. In fact the zone is even 'stopped' by a door in the same wall as the accessory.

Liam