Codebreakers #52

Need help with cracking those EICR codes? The technical team at NAPIT, with the help of the 18th Edition Codebreakers publication, answer your latest coding queries. Click on the photos for a closer look!

GPI: I CAME ACROSS THIS FIND AFTER A CUSTOMER TOLD ME THAT THEIR UPSTAIRS LIGHTS WENT OFF WHEN THEY TURNED THEIR DOWNSTAIRS SOCKETS OFF AT THE MCB. MCB? REALLY?

Well, aside from the issues with the lighting circuit being supplied from a socket-outlet circuit, which could likely involve undersized cables etc, I’ll deal with what I can see, as we don’t have enough information on the socket-outlet MCB to code, other than to give an FI.

So, I’ll concentrate on the exposed live conductors instead. We see this so often, and it is incredibly dangerous. Just because it is under a floorboard doesn’t mean it can be left in a dangerous state, covered up and forgotten about. There are numerous occasions where this can come into contact with either an engineer doing any one of a number of different tasks in a property, or a DIYer making any number of repairs or upgrades, which they are entitled to do.

Not only do we have access to live parts from the terminals of the connector block, but they are also unsupported. As the building naturally flexes and foot traffic over the floorboards continues, the cables can and will flex, which is likely to lead to strain on terminations. These terminations can then become loose, and this can present a very real danger from arcing and a potential source of fire.

All connections and terminations made under floorboards must be adequate, and unless they are Maintenance Free (MF), conforming to BS 5733 and marked as such, they must be accessible for periodic inspection and testing.

Leaving unsupported and inadequately contained terminations that have the potential to come into contact with anybody, regardless of their level of training or understanding, is dangerous and can lead to much more sinister outcomes if left unchecked and uncorrected.