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ERIC: THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN DURING A PROJECT TO CHANGE A KITCHEN INTO A UTILITY ROOM AND CLOAKROOM. LIGHTING CIRCUIT ORIGINALLY WIRED IN FLAT TWIN, NO CPC, LATER ADDITIONS IN T&E AND CPC BORROWED FROM A NEIGHBOURING CABLE. THE SHEATHING WAS ALSO REMOVED AND NOT WITHIN AN ENCLOSURE. WHAT’S ALSO NOT CLEAR IN THE PHOTO IS THAT THE LIVE CONDUCTOR HAD BEEN NICKED IN THE CUTTING PROCESS, LEAVING COPPER EXPOSED.
Given the standard of work and lack of adequate enclosures, I’d like to think that this isn’t the work of a competent electrician. These observations tend to push towards a builder or a DIY modification instead. The cable colours may date it pre-2004, but that’s not a given as older colour cables were still in circulation for a while after the change to the new colours.
There are several basic BS 7671 infringements here, and I’ll approach them individually. Firstly, any connections or terminations in a cable and exposed single (basic) insulation must be taken into an adequate enclosure. On top of that, the inspector has stated that the Line conductor has been “nicked,” so there is possible access to live parts. Any connections made must be mechanically and electrically robust and adequately supported so as to protect them from mechanical damage; it’s evident from the photo that this is not the case here. As the modification work was made to a lighting circuit without a cpc, I’ll assume that the new work was carried out to a version of BS 7671 that required a cpc. This would mean the new work would need a cpc; however, borrowing a cpc from another circuit is not acceptable and means that the two circuits are no longer separate or individually isolatable, as they are now linked.
All in all, very sub-standard working practices, coupled with a lack of understanding of basic BS 7671 requirements, which could easily lead to a fatal incident.
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