EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Plug-in Chargers

The official advice from the MHRA is that adaptors, multi-plugs and extension mains leads should not be used in a medical location. Sufficient, conveniently located mains sockets should be installed.
The 17th edition of the IEE Regs requires RCDs to be installed in all final circuits. The RCDs should be tested QUARTERLY!
I have yet to encounter anyone who does this.
And I thought that the tingle in the coffee was due to something in the water!

So. Do doctor's surgeries and health clinics count as medical locations? These are the precise places where these easily damaged adaptors are in use.

A large percentage of visitors take their children with them - after all it is usually the children who need the doctor's care. It is almost guaranteed that if there is a damaged adaptor within reach, a small child will be sure to find it.

I doubt that the RCD tripping would prevent an actual shock being given. It would just limit the length of time the mains was attached to the unfortunate victim.

Quarterly testing? What happened to making risk assessments to find a reasonable scheduled interval? After all, RCDs are a fixed system and unlikely to suffer the sort of damage that a mobile piece of equipment could be subjected to. And most movable equipment is tested less often than that!

... but on the other hand:-


OK ... so let's just follow (that is, enforce) the Official Advice, shall we?

And ... why are we talking about RCD's here?

The saying about "singing from the same hymn sheet"* comes to mind? As does the one about stable doors and runaway horses.

* Selected deliberately to rattle non-believers.

"So. Do doctor's surgeries and health clinics count as medical locations? These are the precise places where these easily damaged adaptors are in use."
Exactly! But these are not damaged, they are built that way. I think that we should "encourage" the Electrical Safety Council to do something. I intend to try, anyone like to join me?

Nice sentiment Brian. But the ESC will do nothing but "lobby" at best, and "wring hands" at worst.

They have no bite ... unlike, that is, my side-cutters!

Some of us have been in this game long enough to have learned (a very long time ago in my own case) that:-

"If you want something doing, you are better off doing it yourself"!

Or, as John says:- proactive, rather than inactive (or something like that)!

Remember what I said about the Guardians of Electrical Safety? That's us. In real (practical) terms, the buck stops here (with us). There is no-one else.

Having just gone through the article in question, frankly I see nothing new (or surprising) there. But that "Charger supplied" doesn't look to me like a "bent pins" situation ... but rather an adaptor suited to mains outlets used in parts of China (and very similar to those found in Australia).

That in itself highlights the main point (that I believe is) being made. That is, that buying stuff off the internet bypasses the many regulations and consumer safeguards that ordinary High Street retailers have to comply with.

So ... what can the Electrical Safety Council (or anyone else) do about that? Nothing (as I have already mentioned).

As I have said before, it is up to those of us who carry the Burden of Competence not to shrink from our duty of keeping our eyes open as we do the rounds ... and not to be timid about taking any action necessary in dealing with offenders (that is, not only the dangerous junk itself, but also the irresponsible idiot who brought it in, placing others in harm's way).

Yep, the "charger supplied" is the standard Australian pin config.

Apparently it only varies from the Chinese one by a small difference in the length of the pins.

I wonder why Oz didn't adopt the UK's style - which would have been the round pinned 5 Amp, 15 Amp etc. type "back then" - and later on the UK BS-1363 "13 Amp" type.

After all, when you have a "new country" (largely free of industrial legacy), you may as well go for the best!

They would be classed as medical locations if medical electrical (60601) equipment is being used. (See MHRA MEIGaN document or IEC 60364-7-710)


An RCD will trip before an individual can receive a fatal shock (within 40mS at 30mA).


An RCD is a mechanical device and when not operated for extended periods can suffer from sticking or delayed action so the device fails to trip at the required values. Regular testing ensures the trip will operate correctly when needed! (Just pressing the test button is all that is required 4 times a year.)

Here's an interesting article which some may have missed.

Note the clever use of "crowbar circuitry" mentioned at the bottom paragraph!

Meanwhile (following Brian's earlier advice), sales of "Voltsticks" have now soared. I know that I certainly carry one!