Electrical Safety in Washdown Areas: Keeping Water Out and People Safe

Why this matters in UK food manufacturing Food factories wash down with high-pressure hot water and chemicals every day, sometimes every shift. Water in a panel, motor or junction box causes nuisance trips, corrosion, short circuits and, at worst, electric shock to someone holding a hose. It also drives breakdowns: on many sites, water ingress is one of the most common causes of electrical faults on production lines. In plain English Electricity and water do not mix, and a food factory sprays water at its machines every day. Every panel, motor and socket in a washdown area must be built to keep water out, and cleaners must know what not to point the hose at. 1. Know the law and the standards Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 6: electrical equipment exposed to wet, dirty or corrosive conditions must be constructed or protected to prevent danger.BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations): includes requirements for RCD protection of socket outlets and for equipment selection for external influences such as water.BS EN 60529: the IP code that rates how well an enclosure…