[ Focus: Outside broadcasting ] Standard bearer
All electrical installations and equipment must comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and only competent persons should carry out electrical installation work for an outside broadcast. There are, however, other standards that have to be adhered to:
n BS 7909:2008 Code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes.
There has been a significant drive to ensure electrical safety at events
we thought was a bizarre attitude. Our next port of call was the ECA, and the response couldn’t have been more different.’
Site visit Laddams contacted the ECA and the South East region deputy manager Sue Arden met up with him. Greater London regional manager, Malcolm Conby, visited Film & TV Services on site and was sure he could help. Both companies decided to join the association. Laddams comments: ‘Because we aren’t typical members of the ECA, we were slightly sceptical about exactly how much benefit we would get from it.’ The value of membership came into sharp focus for Film & TV Services, though, one month after joining, when a team had travelled over to Switzerland for a job only to find that it had to demonstrate compliance with some aspects of the work and was unsure about where it stood. It was a difficult situation trying to intertwine the standards of both countries. Chris Pratt takes up the story: ‘After many conversations that were not proving fruitful, we decided to call Giuliano Digilio, the ECA’s head of Technical Services. He and ECA area technical manager Connor Flynn very quickly clarified the situation and were able to confirm that our position was correct.’
Onwards and upwards With the ECA’s help, the companies have now put measures in place to make sure that all elements of their combined operation are fully tested, inspected and certified. Each job is now fully certified against BS 7909, and
Equipment must be regularly tested in order to eliminate the risk of shock or fire
BS 7909:2008 gives recommendations for the management, design, setting up and operation of temporary electrical systems for the entertainment and similar or related industries. Mobile and transportable units with electrical systems that are used in these industries are also covered.
The systems covered by BS 7909:2008 operate at low voltage, as defined in BS 7671, supplied from an existing installed electrical system, the public supply, privately owned supplies or from mobile or portable generators. It separates the requirements into two areas – small/simple events and activities requiring up to 6kVA, and large/ complex events and activities requiring in excess of 6kVA. n BS 7671:2008 Requirements for electrical installations.
BS 7671 is not just for houses and commercial installations, as is often believed; it is for all electrical installations, with a few exceptions such as mines or boats. It makes no distinction between a temporary and a permanent installation in that respect, and the fundamental requirements are the same. A competent person must have the abilities needed to take overall responsibility for the safe installation, testing, operation and deconstruction of temporary electrical installations.
As with all special locations, where particular risks exist, additional measures for protection are to be applied. Further, Section 522 of BS 7671:2008 requires that the installation method selected shall be such that protection against the expected external influences is ensured in all appropriate parts of the wiring system. There is a common misconception that site electrics should be carried out according to BS 7909, not BS 7671. However, it is not an either/or case, as systems should be designed in accordance with BS 7671 and deployed, managed and tested in accordance with BS 7909. Both standards cross-reference each other in that respect.
May 2012 ECA Today 41
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