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Washing machines in front of Consumer Units

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Many of my sites have got washing machines in front of a CSU in an electrical cupboard on a new build site due to space, I have had our sub-contractors move the CSU where practicable, the reasons being as per BS7671 and NHBC are accessibility and maintenance, my reasonings are:

                      1: If a circuit breaker pops and the owner is vertically challenged, in a wheel chair or with a bad back then they cannot reach over the washing machine to reset the breaker.

                      2: If the whole board trips and the washing is in its wash cycle then the washing machine cannot be removed, not without great difficulty.

                      3: If the incoming water connection gets damaged, then water can spray all over the CSU.

                      4: As for maintenance, the 5 year Test and Inspection will require the washing machine moving to carry out the periodic , again BS7671 where an electrical service is to be installed in the proximity of one or more non-electrical services it shall be arranged so  that any foreseeable operation carried out on the other service will not cause damage to the electrical services or the converse.

     The problem is all our standards are open to interpretation, until someone gets killed, and also with the amount of space in electrical cupboards due to smaller areas in apartments, it has got to the stage that I feel we have to compromise on our British Standards.
  • Pretty clear to me that consumer units have to have sufficient space for initial installation, later replacement of individual items of electrical equipment and readily accessible for operation , inspection, testing, fault detection, maintenance and repair. See BS 7671 Regulations 132.12 and 543.1.


    This is an inspection item on the EICR form so should be listed as a non-compliance with BS 7671 if a washing machine is in front of it.


    How does the tenant test their RCDs every 6 months with a washing machine in front of the board? Also how would they isolate the supply in the event of an emergency?
  • John Peckham:

    How does the tenant test their RCDs every 6 months with a washing machine in front of the board? Also how would they isolate the supply in the event of an emergency?


    Particularly if the emergency is that the washing machine is on fire!


    I fear that with new builds the size of caravans these days, it is difficult to ensure that CUs are properly accessible.


  • Chris


    Some of the bijou apartments I have seen are smaller than a consumer unit!


    JP
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Thanks for the honest replies and I totally agree with you, as this is what I am fighting against, more so when our sub-contractors are Design & Build and they take the observations personal, but when my company hands over a site ( of which there is 14 ) the installation has to be to British Standards of which I am driving, one particular site I have has in the electrical cupboard a Boiler, an oversized MVHR. isolators and a CSU, the size of these cupboards range from 0.9 mtr sq to 4.5 mtr sq, the issue isn't uniform, and to compound the issue, the client doesn't want them moved, so back to non-compliant.















  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Martin Des:

    Many of my sites have got washing machines in front of a CSU in an electrical cupboard on a new build site due to space, I have had our sub-contractors move the CSU where practicable, the reasons being as per BS7671 and NHBC are accessibility and maintenance, my reasonings are:

                          1: If a circuit breaker pops and the owner is vertically challenged, in a wheel chair or with a bad back then they cannot reach over the washing machine to reset the breaker.

                          2: If the whole board trips and the washing is in its wash cycle then the washing machine cannot be removed, not without great difficulty.

                          3: If the incoming water connection gets damaged, then water can spray all over the CSU.

                          4: As for maintenance, the 5 year Test and Inspection will require the washing machine moving to carry out the periodic , again BS7671 where an electrical service is to be installed in the proximity of one or more non-electrical services it shall be arranged so  that any foreseeable operation carried out on the other service will not cause damage to the electrical services or the converse.

         The problem is all our standards are open to interpretation, until someone gets killed, and also with the amount of space in electrical cupboards due to smaller areas in apartments, it has got to the stage that I feel we have to compromise on our British Standards.


    Don't worry I believe you, you couldn't make this up ?


  • Many of my sites have got washing machines in front of a CSU in an electrical cupboard on a new build site

    If it's a new build domestic wouldn't it be a non-compliance with part M of the building regs (in England, or the equivalent in the other nations)?

       - Andy.
  • Andy


    You beat me to it. I had a similar heated protest from a contractor/ builder who wanted to put a consumer unit up at ceiling height on a new build house. I was inspecting the first fix for a local authority and told him that was unacceptable as it did not comply with Part M. He got very abusive when I picked up on non compliances with Part L and Part F.
  • A nice picture of the washing machine in front of the CCU would help to see the extent of the arrangement. although I suspect its tucked in a cupboard where there is not room  to access the CCU fully without getting stuck between the top of the washing machine and the top of the door opening

    As far as I can see from the posts the new build developers are going against their own guidelines and the building regulations. So accessibility, proximity of services, discrimination against disability. which is not acceptable in new-build as well as any build / refurbishment for general sale..

    However, the developers will deny culperbility as, they would say, that there will be other places to fit the washing machine although it may not be as convenient but it is likely to be the clients decision not theirs.

    Legh
  • Regardless of whether the installation is domestic or not, CDM Regulations apply. Safe maintenance is an absolute duty ... so as well as Part M, there's a potential breach of basic safety legislation.
  • I have not (well almost not) been involved in "new builds" but on many occasions have seen CUs in very silly places, Above doors or high up over WCs in very small areas. "we always put them there" is the usual reply or "everyone else does it" is another one. My reply "It should never go there, oh I can see a little old lady breaking her neck on this" but I always gets ignored, what do I know!