Protection Against Electric Shock

Fundamental Rules

1. Basic Protection
 Hazardous live parts in the electrical installation shall not be accessible.

2. Fault protection
 Accessible metal parts shall not be hazardous live.

Basic Protection measures

1. Protection by Insulation of live parts

The live parts of an installation must be protected by durable and irremovable insulation which is able to
withstand any stresses to which it may be subjected in service. Paints, varnishes and lacquers are not, in
themselves, considered to provide the the degree of insulation required for this type of protection.

2. Protection by barriers or enclosures

This measure prevents unintentional contact with live parts by use of barriers or enclosure. All
enclosures or barriers must be durable, firmly fixed and prevent ingress of foreign bodies to IP2X
(standard finger) at least. All accessible top surfaces (horizontal) must prevent ingress to IP4X (over
1mm). Access to live parts must require use of a key or tool such as a screwdriver.

3. Protection by means of obstacles

Protection of live parts in normal use can be provided by obstacles, such as handrail around an open
switchboard. These have to be firmly fixed and prevent accidental or unintentional bodily contact with
live parts. This protection is provided only in areas where skilled or instructed persons under direct
supervision have access.

4. Protection by placing out of reach

This type of protection is limited to areas accessible to a skilled or instructed person only. It applies to
overhead lines for distribution between buildings and structures and structures and to bare live parts
other than overhead lines. The latter must be out of “arm’s reach”.

Fault Protection measures

1. Protection by earthed equipotential bonding and automatic disconnection of supply

The regulations call for the creation of an earthed equipotential zone in order to minimize any voltage
arising between exposed conductive parts and extraneous conductive parts. It is a principal requirement
of the regulations concerned with the automatic disconnection of supply that protective devices,
earthing arrangements and circuit impedances must be coordinated so that in the event of an earth
fault any voltage above earth potential between exposed and extraneous conductive parts shall be so
restricted as to offer no danger. Within the main equipotential zone this requirement is satisfied if
socket outlets are disconnected within 0.4S and fixed equipment within 5S, in the event of an earth
fault. If the over-current device cannot meet the specified disconnection times the regulation permit the
use of a residual current device of up to 30mA rating where its operating time does not exceed 40ms.

2. Protection by use of Class II equipment

Calss II equipment is double insulated and this prevents transmission of earth faults to exposed or
extraneous conductive parts.

BS2754 : Construction of Electrical equipment for protection against electric shock.

Class II equipment is usually double insulated and is not provided with an earth terminal as this is
considered unnecessary.

3. Protection by Non-Conducting locations

When basic insulation fails, protection by non-conducting location will prevent shock when a person
makes simultaneous contact with two exposed conductive parts or an exposed conductive part and any
extraneous conductive parts. The resistance of insulating floors and walls should be tested, not just on
completion, but regularly throughout the life of the installation. It may be necessary to ensure that
humidity does not affect the resistance.

The minimum acceptable reading of resistance for a supply voltage below 500V is 50,000Ω, or 100,000Ω
if supply voltage exceeds 500V but not 1000V a.c. The use of this method must be under the effective
supervision and where specified by a suitably qualified electrical Engineer.

4. Protection by earth free local equipotential bonding

To achieve this situation it is necessary to bond together all exposed conductive parts and all extraneous
conductive parts that are simultaneously accessible. The local equipotential bonding conductors must
not be in direct electrical contact with earth. Precautions must be taken to prevent persons moving to or
from the equipotential location being exposed to a dangerous potential difference at the point of entry.
The use of earth free locations using earth free bonding must only be used where specified by a suitably
qualified electrical Engineer.

5. Protection by electrical separation

Protection by electrically separating an individual circuit from the supply, from earth, and from exposed
conductive parts or extraneous conductive parts, etc, is intended to prevent shock when body contact is
made to an exposed conductive part made live by failure of the circuit basic insulation.