Someone recently told me that it was now illegal in the UK for people to use multiway power extension leads on offices (the typical kind you use at home for your computer, printer, monitor, etc). I can't find any evidence of this on the Internet. If it's true, how do you increase the number of power sockets at each desk without laying new wiring or floor sockets?
I think they are allowed *if* they are PAT tested and marked as such etc., just like any other portable appliance in an office should be.
It's not true directly. However, your employer is required to provide you with a safe workspace, and installations with lots of trailing multi-way socket blocks are often not safe. If the premises was not designed with the number or loading of electrical appliances it now has, then it is very likely the electrical installation will need updating. The employer is responsible for doing this and would be well advised to employ a suitable subcontractor to carry out period inspections of the installation and appliances, or have suitably trained people doing it on the staff.
Why would you expect to be able to do so? How will you know what the safe limit is? What do you suppose might happen if you have too many? How do you know you don't already have too many?
I *suspect* this is more to do with length of cable, AIUI the maximum unprotected length is 2 meters, anything over that requires some means of protection from being dragged or becoming a trip hazard. When I was involved with office furniture we could not install any power cable (to our internal desk sockets) with a free length greater than 2 meters.
Dunno about on the 'Net, but the last 2 places I've worked, a Health & Safety man came round muttering about the "Electricity at Work" Regulations and confiscated the chains of 4 way extensions...
You can't.
But there is a difference between sensible use of extensions and daisy-chaining them.
Chris
Regulations
Yes, it was the number of ways, not the extensions that were the problem, assuming that they meet other constraints.
That is far to simplistic a comment. A 2 way extension appropriately protected by either fuse or CB, with a lead
2 meters or less trailing and suitable fixed will effectively extend the number of sockets. Or are you saying that there has been a radical change in regulations as to what is allowed in the last two years or so ?
News to me, we use them, but multiway plugs (cube with pins and multi sockets in them) are banned (by us) as much due to localised heating inside them as much as for overloading the socket due to the weight...
and for those that write clear english, sorry I'm too tired....
We used loads of the things. Most desks had built-in socket strips, usually two sets of four sockets each set with its own 6.3a fuse, switch and cable. The fuses were a damn nuisance as they kept blowing, but although the main cables were great big thick ones easily capable of handling 30 amps, the internal wiring was puny.
The important thing is that you don't have flexes trailing across the floor e.g. from a wall socket to a desk in the middle of the room. We had socket boxes at regular intervals in the false floor. If you do need to cross walking space use proper heavy rubber protectors, and for good measure stick them down with gaffer tape.
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