UK Kitchen grid switch help

[ibra123]

I was always taught that the isolation switches had to be accessible for emergency’s…. not hidden away in cupboards.

Whether that be on a grid, or all individual.

I believe there’s a Scottish building reg about this that doesn’t exist on the English side??

In my view, this is accurate. Part M of the building regulations focuses on ensuring 'visibility' for individuals with disabilities and specifies that all controls and sockets in a kitchen must be easily reachable. This implies that switches and outlets should be positioned above countertops and outside cabinets. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[DPG]

In my view, this is accurate. Part M of the building regulations focuses on ensuring 'visibility' for individuals with disabilities and specifies that all controls and sockets in a kitchen must be easily reachable. This implies that switches and outlets should be positioned above countertops and outside cabinets. What are your thoughts on this?

Too many people these days are obsessed with not having isolators on show. Leading to people putting them in cupboards, often with stuff piled up against them.

It's a kitchen, not an art gallery. Does it really matter that there is a 20A switch above the worktop?

 

[ibra123]

It's a kitchen, not an art gallery.

Next time an architect/client asks whether we can keep sockets hidden in kitchen cabinets, I will say this :')

 

[Dustydazzler]

I do quite a lot of kitchen re-fits and near all clients demand no switches and sockets on show except for the ones they will actually plug stuff into/ so 99% of the time I do go down the 'put everything in a near by cupboard route. to be fair it also probably saves me about 1/2 day less labour chopping boxes into brick walls.

 

[richy3333]

Building Standards wording. The handbook doesn't define 'accessible':

Electrical fixtures - outlets and controls of electrical fixtures and systems should be positioned at least 350 mm from any internal corner, projecting wall or similar obstruction and, unless the need for a higher location can be demonstrated, not more than 1.2 m above floor level. This would include fixtures such as sockets, switches, fire alarm call points and timer controls or programmers. Within this height range:

• light switches should be positioned at a height of between 900 mm and 1.1 m above floor level

• standard switched or unswitched socket outlets and outlets for other services such as telephone or television should be positioned at least 400 mm above floor level. Above an obstruction, such as a worktop, fixtures should be at least 150 mm above the projecting surface



Where sockets are concealed, such as to the rear of white goods in a kitchen, separate switching should be provided in an accessible position, to allow appliances to be isolated.

 

[pc1966]

Where sockets are concealed, such as to the rear of white goods in a kitchen, separate switching should be provided in an accessible position, to allow appliances to be isolated.

To me in a cupboard is not "accessible" for two reasons:

1. It will get filled with crap, obscuring the switches.
2. It is not obvious to anyone in an emergency who is not familiar with the kitchen (guest, AirBnB tenant, etc). As those switches are rarely used, probably the owner/occupier will be unfamiliar with the exact location or purpose as well.

I would put them above the appliance they switch (if under the work area) or immediately to the side (if tall like a fridge/freezer) as then it is clear what they are likely to do, even if they are not labelled.

 

[oscar21]

Part M doesn't mean that every single socket in the house has to be at 450mm, it means that an adequate number of sockets are accessible for disabled or immobile people. If you put 4 twins in a living room then you would be ok fitting two of them at 450 and the other two at 300mm or whatever it may be. And this only applies to new builds.

In existing premises all you have to make sure of is you don't make the property any worse than it already is, so if all the existing sockets are at 300mm then you can do the same, even in extensions. also I don't agree with sockets inside cupboards being inaccessible, so you have to move a few boxes of cornflakes, whats your view on sockets behind a couch or a bed that weights half a ton?

 

[nicebutdim]

I don't agree with sockets inside cupboards being inaccessible, so you have to move a few boxes of cornflakes, whats your view on sockets behind a couch or a bed that weights half a ton?

Sockets behind a bed or couch weren't intentionally fitted there. I would guess homeowners might prefer those sockets to be beside couches and beds.

There's clearly room for debate about what exactly accessible means, but there's no doubt that an above counter point of isolation would be more readily accessible, should a cheaply constructed appliance spontaneously combust, than one located behind half a hundredweight of crockery. In many cases it would be as easy to pull the appliance out and unplug it, than get at a cupboard mounted isolator, so I guess one might argue in those instances it could be considered inaccessible and self-defeating.

 

[nicebutdim]

To add to the above; we aren't moving isolation from above the worktop for any reason other than the whims of customers. While some people reckon the customer is always right, I'd contend that many are actually dick heads who are just about sensible enough to not eat themselves.

 

[oscar21]

Oh I agree about customers, whoever stated "the customer is always right" must be a loony. Customers are hardly ever right, even a stopped clock is usually correct more often than the customer.