Cooker Switch positioning

[Andrew May]

A friend has had a kitchen installed by IKEA [1]. The electrician has positioned the isolating switch for the hob in a hard to reach cupboard above, and to the right of the hob. It requires steps to access. The oven and microwave both plug into a standard 13A socket positioned behind both pieces of equipment and requiring the removal of a shelf to access. All would be hard to access in an emergency especially a fire in the appliance concerned.

I have had a look at the regs, or rather the on-site guide and cannot find anything that explicitly forbids an installation like this. There is a bit in section 5 about isolation and some general guidelines in appendix 8 about cooker control switches being placed no more that 2m from the appliance.

Can anyone point me to specific regulations that would prohibit this installation so that she can beat the electrician up and get him to return and do the job properly?

I should add that I have not yet seen this installation so only pass on what has been described to me.

Andrew

[1] The contractor was arranged by IKEA but it is not clear whether the contract is with IKEA or the contractor.

[TJY]

Oh you idiot - stop poking your nose in and interfering. First thing, what has it got to do with you, second, if your friend is happy then it has nothing to do with you. Stop trying to ruin a new kitchen for your own pleasure.

[Andy Wade]

This certainly doesn't sound too good, particularly the cooker control switch which is there to provide all four switching functions (isolation, switching off for mechanical maintenance, emergency switching and functional switching) and should be readily accessible.

The electrician should have provided a minor electrical installation works certificate (or a full electrical installation certificate if any new final circuits were installed) to their customer.

Electrical work in kitchens is notifiable under Part P of the building regs, so a building notice should have been submitted unless the electrician is a member of a Part P self-certification scheme. Either route should provide a completion certificate under building regs.

The IEE "Electrician's Guide to the Building Regulations[1] gives more specific advice in this area. I've previously provided a summary here of its recommendations regarding the location of accessories in kitchens

- see

are also several relevant regulations in BS 7671 itself. In particular I'll summarise those in Chapter 13 which is titled "Fundamental Principles":

131-09-01 Emergency control: a device for emergency interruption of supply, if required, is to be "easily recognised and effectively and rapidly operated". 131-10-01 Disconnection devices: ... shall be provided to permit disconnection "as required for maintenance, testing, fault detection and repair". 131-12-01 Accessibility of electrical equipment: equipment to be arranged to afford (i) sufficient space for initial installation and later replacement, and (ii) accessibility for operation, inspection testing, maintenance and repair. 131-14-01 Isolation and switching: "Effective means, suitably placed for ready operation, shall be provided so that all voltage may be cut off from [...] all equipment as may be necessary to prevent or remove danger."

Building regulations Approved Document P cites Chapter 13 of BS

7671:2001 stating that adherence thereto will satisfy the legal requirement P1 of the regulations.

HTH

[1] ISBN 086341463X

[Lurch]

On Fri, 6 Jul 2007 01:18:34 +0100, "TJY" mused:

You appear to be a moron. Go back to where you came from.

[:Jerry:]

...and / or the idiot sparky who did the installation in question!...

[Andrew May]

Thanks Andy that is very useful. Relevant parts summarized and sent on prior to site meeting.

Andrew

[Andrew May]

How do you infer that from what I wrote? If you must know, said friend phoned me after the contractor left because she was unhappy with what had been done. I looked up what was said on the subject in the Onsite Guide and promised to ask in the group about anything that the regs might say on the subject because I do not have access to my own copy.

I provided enough information in my original question for any competent person to answer it. I did not include, nor did I need to include all the extra information about the why and wherefore because it is not relevant.

Andy Wade has given me a lot of useful information on the subject for which I am indebted to him.

I am sorry that you were not able to do likewise.

Andrew

[:Jerry:]

Don't get to worked up, "TYJ" has been posting similar messages in other groups too, clearly a board troll (probably since leaving 'sckool')....

[Andrew May]

Ahhh, so I see. I've been away for a long weekend so only just catching up with the thousand-odd message on the group. I now see that he/she/it has posted to other threads as well.

Now duly kill-filed.

Andrew

[Andy Wade]

Do let us know the outcome.