Posted By Patrick Kelly Has anyone a copy of BS7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations I need to determiine the safe work distance for a person working with an electrical distribution board Thanks

Posted By George Wedgwood This standard will not really help you but the E@W Regs will, along with the guidance book for that, HSG 65. If you cannot technically understand its approach, and it is aimed at competent electrical engineers, you may ned help in such an assessment, which is not 'cut and dried' I am afraid. the key to understanding the risks is the knowledge of what hazards are there - exposed conductors (as on very old Boards) or electric arc (from moving switch contacts etc.). If people can access the board as you suggest, there should be no expose conductors and no 'routine' chance of an arc occuring unprotected. However, if your man has to do some switching or racking out, then the whole risk changes and special procedures and PPE is required to help mitigat the risks from an electric arc occurring during the switching off or racking out process. You only see one arc explosion (600 V up to 11 kV are all lethal) and one fatality to realise that this is best left to specialists and special competence is required to undertake even apparently simple tasks at a switcboard. There are some IOSH Members who are specialists in this area and their advice professionally may be the best you can do to avoid making a mistake. Feel free to come back to me for further advice if necessary. Regards, George (MIEE)