jc_hoops

True, but your not normally siting in the sink, immersed in water

Over here, kitchen sockets are normally sited outside touching distance between them and the sink. If this is not possible, then protection with RCD. New earthing regulations in Britain, make it very safe to use a socket near to the sink these days.

As for the Aussie way of sockets in the bathroom.........madness !!

jc_hoops

Shaver points are double insulated, and usually low voltage....

The Bloke

Obviously they expect people to have extremely large bathrooms (hence the 1.8m spacing) or someone has given you a bum steer. What do they expect people to do, run extension cords (therefore more chance of getting electrocuted) through the bathroom?

fraser

I expect in this country they expect you not to use electrical appliances in the bathroom

MrsDagboy

What a nanny state!

TraceyW

errmm...yes you will!

We are building out here and we went for our pre-start meeting the other day and we brought up the subject of plug sockets next to the sink in the bathroom. I said I thought it was incredibly dangerous that they are so close to water so I always keep plastic childproof socket covers over the ones in our rented house. The arrogant woman said;

" Ah well, us Australians don't need to worry too much because we're not as daft as the Brits to put a hairdryer in the sink or the bath, we're not stupid enough to electrocute ourselves"

I nearly poked her in the eye!

MrsDagboy

LOL that's exactly what Dagboy & myself said .

Ialibu

You'll survive.

So far I haven't heard of anyone being electrocuted by moisture in the atmosphere completing the circuit and zapping the poor unfortunate!

Come to think of it bare wires convey 450VAC through the suburbs and when in rains they don't earth.

What about the kitchen, that usually has lots of moisture in the atmosphere when people want to use electrical appliances.

I reckon there is a moisture content below which atmospheric electrical conductivity will not occur and I reckon most houses are well below that %

KatieStar

That is true, though as we are rented accommadation so I feel I can't be 100% sure the electrics are completely safe. The house we owned we had a full safety check and it came up with a couple of scary faults. The worse being that the washing machine wasn't earthed and the wire was hanging loose, dangerously close to the underneath of the sink.

Katie

Darren&Leanne

Hi there , im an electrician working on NEW homes around forest lake,springfield,caboolture etc for aden brook homes.We ALWAYS put power points(sockets)in the bathrooms and sometimes 2 if its a double basin .The only guidlines are it has to be 600mm from the shower door, and at least 150mm above the basin top,and 600mm away from the edge of a bath.
I often comment to the ozzy electricians that in England this would be highly illegal and they dont understand.
The circuit is protected by an Earth Leakage current device so any contact with water would activate this within 0.4 of a second so you wouldnt see the effect like in a movie!!
They also put light switches inside the bathroom too which you cant in the uk unless its a pullswitch.
When i eventually buy my own house i will be taking the socket out straught away.
When you see tv etcs , thats up to the owner and there stupidity.

Darren

Megalania

Electrocution in metal framed roof

Electrocution Investigation Reveals Hazards of Working in Roof Spaces

Accidental Electrocution Data

Can not find an instance attributed to bathrooms.

Homer

Sorry wrong we live in a brand new house and we have plug sockets in both our bathrooms

ABCDiamond

Power Points like these

extrameant

I take it you are a bit on the small side ABCD? The photo would suggest you are about 3ft tall, or maybe you are just a fast shooter and prefer taking photos from the hip?

I wasn't going to say anything cos I should really know better (I have worked on many high power RF installations, so in some ways am a bit nonchalant with 240VAC)
However, I have some practical advice regarding switching electrical outlets which are close to sinks etc.

Our waste disposal unit in the kitchen is operated by a typical switch (in good condition). I got a reasonable shock from switching the unit off while both hands were wet. It was bad enough for me to check out a pneumatic switch (a rubber bulb which squeezes air to operate a remote switch) but the parts alone cost $180. I decided it wasn't that sore after all.

My practical advise it to make sure you are not holding onto the tap when switching the switch, and maybe shake off excess water.

I'm pretty sure any waste disposal unit I used in UK had an IP45 rated switch, with at least a rubber membrane over it. Anyway, point is, you can get a bit of a belt of a switch if your hands are wet, and you are well earthed through the tap.

Seriously ABCD, were you just too drunk to stand up?

ABCDiamond

I could say that I was just sitting down at the nearest available seat

However... I put the camera on the window ledge, and set it to go off after I left the room, in case I ended up in the picture via the mirror (i'm shy)