Shock Protection

Protective Provisions for Electric

Shock
BS7671 Requirements:
• BS 7671 stipulates two essential lines of defense, referred to as protective provisions, to guard
against electric shock.

Basic Protection (formerly called protection against direct contact)

• Ensures that individuals are unable to directly touch live parts, thereby minimizing the risk of
electric shock.

Fault Protection (formerly called protection against indirect contact)

• Provides safeguards against electric shock resulting from indirect contact, addressing
situations where a fault might energize exposed conductive parts.
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Protective Provisions for Electric
Shock
Protective Measures:
• The combination of a protective provision offering basic protection and another offering fault
protection.

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 Protective Provisions for Electric
Shock
Protective Measures:

Protective Provisions
Protective Measures
Basic Protection Fault Protection
Automatic disconnection of supply Insulation of live parts, barriers or Protective earthing Automatic
enclosures disconnection Protective bonding
Double insulation Basic insulation Supplementary insulation
Reinforced insulation Reinforced insulation
Electrical separation Insulation of live parts and/or by Simple separation from other circuits
barriers or enclosures and Earth
Extra-low voltage Limitation of voltage
Protective separation
Basic insulation

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
The protective measure of automatic disconnection of supply involves two key components:
a. Basic Protection:
• Ensures safety through insulation of live parts or by the use of barriers or enclosures to prevent direct
contact with these live parts.
b. Fault Protection:
• (i) Earthing: Establishing a connection to the ground to redirect fault currents and reduce
the risk of electric shock.
• (ii) Protective Equipotential Bonding: Connecting conductive parts to maintain them at
the same electrical potential, reducing the risk of electric shock.
• (iii) Automatic Disconnection in Case of a Fault: The system is designed to automatically
disconnect the power supply when a fault is detected, ensuring swift response to mitigate
potential hazards. 5
Maximum Disconnection Times
(BS7671)
Table 41.1 BS7671: Take note on Uo=230V:

• For Uo between 120V and 230V

in a TN system: 0.4s.

• For Uo between 120V and 230V

in a TT system: 0.2s.
• In a TT system where
disconnection is accomplished by
an overcurrent protective device
and protective equipotential
bonding is connected to all
extraneous-conductive-parts as
per Regulation 411.3.1.2, the
maximum disconnection times
applicable to a TN system may 6
be utilized.
Maximum Disconnection Times
(BS7671)
Table 41.1 BS7671: For Uo less than 120VDC:

• Disconnection is not mandatory

for protection against electric
shock but might be necessary for
other reasons, such as protection
against thermal effects.

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
RCD Compliance:
• Disconnection times in Table 41.1 are based on residual fault currents.
• These currents usually exceed the rated residual operating current of the RCD.
• RCD is able to provide disconnection time less than that specified in Table 41.1

Relaxation of Disconnection Times

• Applicable to final circuits exceeding 32 A (63 A if the circuit has socket-outlets) and distribution
circuits.
– TN systems: Disconnection time extended to 5s.
– TT systems: Disconnection time extended to 1s.

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Fault Current Magnitude:

• To ensure timely disconnection, a fault current (I f) must reach a sufficient magnitude to activate the
protective device.

• When the fault current (If) is substantial enough to trigger the protective device within the specified
time, it is denoted as "Ia".

• The current required for disconnection within the specified time is determined by referencing the
characteristics of the protective device.

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Example – 32A Type B Circuit-Breaker:
• For a 32 A Type B circuit-breaker conforming
to BS EN 60898, the specified Ia (current
causing operation in 0.1 to 5 s) is 160 A.
• In the time/current curve for a B32 circuit-
breaker, a current of 159 A might result in a 32
A breaker tripping in around 15 s, whereas 160
A would cause operation in 0.1 s.

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Maximum Allowable Earth Fault Loop Impedance Formula:
• The formula for calculating the maximum allowable earth fault loop impedance (Zs) to ensure the
minimum earth fault current (Ia) for disconnection is given by:

• Where
– Ia is the current causing automatic operation of the protective device in the specified time.
– Cmin is the voltage factor for minimum earth fault current calculation (See Lecture Fault Current Calculation)
– Uo is the nominal voltage to earth.
– Zs is the earth fault loop impedance.

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Example of Calculation of Maximum Earth Fault Loop Impedance for a 32A Type B Circuit
Breaker:
• Given the specifications for a 32A Type B Circuit Breaker:
– I a (Minimum Earth Fault Current for instantaneous Operation): 160A
– Cmin: 0.95
– Uo:230V

• The formula used for calculation is:

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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Example of Calculation of Maximum Earth Fault Loop Impedance for a 32A Type B Circuit
Breaker:
• Given the specifications for a 32A Type B Circuit Breaker:
– I a (Minimum Earth Fault Current for instantaneous Operation): 160A
– Cmin: 0.95
– Uo:230V

• The formula used for calculation is:

• The calculated maximum loop impedance is approximately 1.366 ohms, and when rounded up, it
aligns with the specified impedance for a 32A Type B device in Table 41.3 of BS 7671.
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Protective Measure: Automatic
Disconnection of Supply
Table 41.3 BS7671:

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Summary of Shock Protection
Requirements in Circuit Design
Objective:
• The goal of circuit design is to ensure that the earth fault
loop impedances to the end of the circuit (Zs) are below
the maximum values specified in Tables 41.2 to 41.4 of BS
7671, denoted as Z41 .

– Z41 is the maximum earth fault loop impedance from relevant

tables.
– Ze is the earth fault loop impedance external to the circuit
(typically assumed as 0.8(TNS), 0.35 (TNCS) or 21 (TT) ohm)
– Z1 is the impedance of the line conductor, and
– Z2 is the impedance of the protective conductor. 15
Summary of Shock Protection
Requirements in Circuit Design
Impedance Calculation:

• Z1 and Z2 values per meter are provided in Table F.1 and F.7, adjusted for temperature, and to be multiplied by
the cable length (L).

• Correction factor (Cr ) is applied only to the resistive element and obtained from Table F.3.

• For Radial Circuits;

Conductor Size ≤ 16 mm²:

• For conductor sizes of 16 mm² or less, where inductance is not significant, the equation simplifies to
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Summary of Shock Protection
Requirements in Circuit Design
Metallic containment systems or cable armor/sheath as a CPC
• For metallic containment systems or cable armor/sheath as a CPC, please refer back to Lecture "Fault Current
Calculation" which was discussed before.

Radial Circuit Length Limits:

• Maximum circuit cable lengths (Ls) ensuring resistance limits disconnection time within required limits are given by

– for circuits with a conductor size of 16 mm2 or less.

• For ring circuits, refer back to Lecture "Simple Electrical Installation and Final Circuits" which was discussed before.
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Example: Maximum Cable Length to
meet Shock Protection Requirement
Given Values:
• Shower Circuit Power (P): 9.6 kW

• Circuit-breaker Rating (In): 40 A

• Conductor Size (A): 10 mm²

• Protective Conductor Size (A2): 4 mm²

Referenced Values for Conductors:

• Z41 (Max Earth Fault Loop Impedance from Table 41.3(b)): 0.55 Ω

• Ze (Max External Earth Fault Loop Impedance for PME Supply): 0.35 Ω

• R1 +R2 (Resistance per meter of Line and Protective Conductors at 20 °C): 6.44 mΩ/m from Table F.1
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• Correction Factor for Conductor Operating Temperature (Cr): 1.20 from Table F.3
Example: Maximum Cable Length to
meet Shock Protection Requirement
Formula for Maximum Cable Length (Ls) Calculation:

• Therefore, the maximum cable length (L s) to meet the shock protection requirement for the given shower
circuit is approximately 25.9 meters.

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