Minimum working space around electrical equipment

[Spoon]

Hello people

I need a bit of help confirming Minimum Working Space around electrical enclosures.
For example: 10A 1PH 230V enclosure mounted on a structure with a hand rail in front of it, in an EC country.

What I have been using for the minimum distance between the enclosure and the hand rails is EN60204 section 11.5 (Access to controlgear) which states:

In cases where:
equipment is likely to be live during access; and
conducting parts are exposed,
the clear width shall be at least 1.0m.

I say that there should be a minimum distance of 1 meter between the enclosure door and the hand rails.
I have a work college who says that this section is not relevant and the regulation was brought in regarding switch rooms in paper mills where the whole switch room had exposed copper bus bars.

Who is right?

I am happy to be wrong if someone can tell me the regulation I should be working to.

The American & Canadian regs are very clear (American Table 11.5.1.1 & Canadian Section 2-308)

Many thanks

 

[malcoa]

1 meter is what i was always taught, i'm not sure if your colleague is accurate about the regulation though

 

[Spoon]

Thanks for the reply malcoa
We have to work to some minimum distance, and this is the only one I can find relevant to my situation
The only other regs are BS7671 section 729, but this is for gangways.

 

[ian.settle1]

You can give it all the space you want around it and then the plumber will come along and run his pipes right across the front of the electrical equipment then blaim you for putting it in the way of his pipes.

 

[Spoon]

You can give it all the space you want around it and then the plumber will come along and run his pipes right across the front of the electrical equipment then blaim you for putting it in the way of his pipes.

haha. This is to show on the design drawings. What they do on site is up to the customers installation guys. They should go by my drawings, which I hope, are showing the correct minimum distance.

 

[Spoon]

I was hoping for more than one positive feedback on this. Anymore helpers please....

 

[Engineer54]

What I have been using for the minimum distance between the enclosure and the hand rails is EN60204 section 11.5 (Access to controlgear) which states:

In cases where:
equipment is likely to be live during access; and
conducting parts are exposed,
the clear width shall be at least 1.0m.

I say that there should be a minimum distance of 1 meter between the enclosure door and the hand rails.
I have a work college who says that this section is not relevant and the regulation was brought in regarding switch rooms in paper mills where the whole switch room had exposed copper bus bars.

Who is right?

EN60204 is correct, Even then, the minimum distances will not in all circumstances be sufficient!! Your colleague is making it up as he goes along i'm afraid!!

Seen far too many instances on my projects where drawings conflict with access space that is required for certain types of MV and LV main switchboards. Some making it almost, or actually impossible to withdraw, withdrawable breakers from the switchboards. All such instances by the way had a drawing revision, after it passed across my desk... lol!!

 

[Spoon]

Thanks Eng54. Would you say that this reg also applies to an electrical enclosures that is fed from the mains but is a control panel for something.
The reason why I ask is that in the design I am looking at the enclosure is fed by 3ph 25A but is a control enclosure for 3rd party equipment and not a mains switchboard.

 

[Engineer54]

Thanks Eng54. Would you say that this reg also applies to an electrical enclosures that is fed from the mains but is a control panel for something.
The reason why I ask is that in the design I am looking at the enclosure is fed by 3ph 25A but is a control enclosure for 3rd party equipment and not a mains switchboard.

As far as i'm conserned, all electrical panels need a decent working space in front of them, be they control panels or distribution panels. There is nothing worse than squeezing into a restricted space to work on/in any electrical panel!!

 

[Spoon]

As far as i'm conserned, all electrical panels need a decent working space in front of them, be they control panels or distribution panels. There is nothing worse than squeezing into a restricted space to work on/in any electrical panel!!

That is my thought exactly. I have asked my colleague what regs he uses for minimum distance, but as yet he has not replied... big shock there then...

 

[malcoa]

i'm sure it applies all such electrical equpment housed in enclosures, i wonder why would it not.
i doubt your mate will come up with something.....in fairness to him it may have originated from something in the paper industry that has become a standard.

 

[jumpin jax]

If you are the manufacturer of this machine then you state what you want and what regulation you want the installer to follow, failure to follow these instructions which then results in something going wrong then puts the blame in their court

 

[Spoon]

The equipment is mostly 3rd party. I am in charge of the electrical installation drawings and material. Most people agree with me, that section 11.5 of EN60204 should be used, in most cases, for the minimum distance. I have someone in a different section, higher up than me, stating I am incorrect.
I go along with EN54, in that all electrical equipment should have a safe minimum distance for when you are doing maintenance, calibrating etc.
I was just wanting to make sure that I hadn't missed any other reg about this. I know about Section 729 in the BGB but this doesn't apply for the case I talking about.