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I could drop some conduit in like this, then either long reach bush with an earthing nut on to earth or a banjo behind the bush
 

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That is what I am suggesting, to me they are safe zones. Vertical and horizontal from each fitting, no protection required.
 
You are allowed to run 100mm if I recall to the defined perimeter of a wall, that is exempt of direction, staircases are unique in they are jagged and not a straight edge so do you define it by the crest of the wave or the lowest point, again I believe this is just one if them scenarios where regulations are hard to apply under the context they were originally brought in so it gives some scope to think other ways.
 
You draw vertical and horizontal lines from all those fittings, they are your safe zones. It may create an obscure route but nevertheless it would be compliant.
 
I was talking about safe zones at the perimeter of a wall, that follows the edge regardless of the plane it is on, if you run under the staircase for instance you can follow the diagonal to 100mm and comply, above with the skirting takes you out of that zone hence my alternate take on this.
 
You draw vertical and horizontal lines from all those fittings, they are your safe zones. It may create an obscure route but nevertheless it would be compliant.
Your right i dont know why i didnt look at it like that, but then to me that looks a less obvious cable route for someone looking at it in the future than a diagonal route ?‍♂️
 
I was talking about safe zones at the perimeter of a wall, that follows the edge regardless of the plane it is on, if you run under the staircase for instance you can follow the diagonal to 100mm and comply, above with the skirting takes you out of that zone hence my alternate take on this.
AFAIK the 150mm zones are formed from vertical corners and where the wall meets the ceiling, not lower wall perimeters where they meet a floor or rising staircase.
 
AFAIK the 150mm zones are formed from vertical corners and where the wall meets the ceiling, not lower wall perimeters where they meet a floor or rising staircase.
It is not defined though, different bodies reccomend their own policies, it is not just wall/ ceiling but a wall/wall meeting point so a plane or angle is not ever denoted thus shaped rooms that don't meet a box can follow the rules.
 
It is not defined though, different bodies reccomend their own policies, it is not just wall/ ceiling but a wall/wall meeting point so a plane or angle is not ever denoted thus shaped rooms that don't meet a box can follow the rules.

I'll have to disagree I'm afraid. The wording of the reg says a zone can be "within 150mm of an angle formed by two adjoining walls or partitions." I don't see how this can apply to any other surface such as a floor or where a staircase covers a wall forming an angle. The underside of a staircase covered so as to form a ceiling I could see could form a zone, but not above a staircase as their is no partition.

I do agree that the zones described in 522.6.202 are not always square or fit into a neat "block" though and these zones can be sloped or a variety of combination of angles.

In the case in this thread I do agree that directly between light fittings would be a reasonable route to assume the cables take, but don't see that it would be currently compliant.
 
The zones do definitely not include a floor area formed by a staircase as is the case for the bottom of a wall with skirting boards
 
I'll have to disagree I'm afraid. The wording of the reg says a zone can be "within 150mm of an angle formed by two adjoining walls or partitions." I don't see how this can apply to any other surface such as a floor or where a staircase covers a wall forming an angle. The underside of a staircase covered so as to form a ceiling I could see could form a zone, but not above a staircase as their is no partition.

I do agree that the zones described in 522.6.202 are not always square or fit into a neat "block" though and these zones can be sloped or a variety of combination of angles.

In the case in this thread I do agree that directly between light fittings would be a reasonable route to assume the cables take, but don't see that it would be currently compliant.
Where I suggest the topside may comply was if the staircase was boxed in IE a cupboard under the staircase which applies to many examples, that would then make the top side effectively the floor of the wall, only where the staircase is open plan would I say the floor remains under the staircase, in my opinion I see the staircase as part of the buildings structure and not like say a built in cupboard or a wall unit etc so if it is boxed in it effectively has the floor on its top side which then allows you a given small corridor to run cables up.
The issue with regs is they are simply guidance and do not cover all the scenarios of the real world so we can often end up in grey territory to which we seem to be here, so it is expected that views may differ as they do but it doesn't necessarily mean one is right and the other is wrong, only the IET could really give an answer here.. this is why I played safe earlier and suggested the better option that definitely does comply is SELV
 
Jees, talk about over complicating things. Its your house @smity, your staircase, you know the cables will be between each light, so would any other semi intelligent person. If the numpties can drill into a cable above a socket, what does it matter that technically its not in a safe zone. I'm with @darkwood.
 

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