Title:
Electrical Zones
&
Safety
Author:
A.Jeffers
Date Written:
01 May 2007
This guide is designed to help you in selecting safe lighting for your bathroom, shower or sauna. When purchasing light fittings for installation in water intensive environments, consult the manufacturer or retailer to make sure that what you are buying is manufactured to the correct regulatory specification.
IP numbers are an international standard. BS EN 60529 is the British Standard relating to the same issue, which is the degree of protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment against water and solid matter. The term solid matter includes dust, soil and animal or human body parts. The letters “IP” themselves stand for “International Protection”.
The first digit from 0 to 6 indicates the level of protection against solid bodies. The second digit from 0 to 8 refers to the protection against water.
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A qualified electrician should make any final decisions about installation. For the purpose of safe lighting, the bathroom or shower area is divided into zones. The zones are numbered according to the distance they are away from a source of water.
Zone 0 (IP68 submersible to 9 metres):
These are the ultimate in watertight fittings and are suitable for saunas, steam rooms or for mounting underwater to a depth of 9 metres.
Zone 1 (IP65 jetproof):
Light fittings graded zone 1 should be fitted where they may be subjected to a jet of water, for example from a shower handset.
Zone 2 (IP44 splash proof):
Zone 2 light fittings should be fitted wherever the fitting may be splashed. Anywhere within 0.6 metres of a basin or similar water source fits this category.
Zone 3:
For all other areas where jets or splashes of water will not occur. To illustrate the above descriptions, I have included a bathroom zone diagram below.
White is zone 0 Purple is zone 1 Blue is zone 2 Green is zone 3
