Electricity and Bathroom Zones

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​Using electrical equipment in bath or shower rooms has always needed care to ensure safety.  Electricians use a special code called "Ingress Protection" or IP rating for short.  IP ratings are defined in international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). They are used to define levels of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies (tools, dirt etc) and moisture.

All of the equipment fitted in a bath, shower room or outside will have an IP rating written somewhere on the box or in the instruction. Also, ALL electrical circuits in the bathroom or even just running through the bathroom need to be RCD protected.

Zones
For electrical purposes, a bath or shower room can be divided into zones, and each zone has strict regulations regarding the level of ingress protection.
Zone 0

Zone 1

​Zone 2
Inside the bath or shower. Any fitting used here must be SELV (max. 12v) and a minimum of IPX7.

Above the bath or shower to a height of 2.25m.  A minimum rating of IPX4 is required.

The area stretching to 0.6m outside the bath or shower and above the bath or shower.  An IP rating of at least IPX4 is required.
Outside Zones - Anywhere outside zones 0, 1 or 2. Where water jets are not to be used for cleaning purposes, the general rules BS 7671 apply.  If in doubt, please contact Lavender Electrical.

Notes
  • ​In zones 1 & 2, if there’s any likely hood of water jets being used for cleaning, a minimum of IPX5 is required.
  • Basins are not covered, however they are usually considered to be zone 2
  • Providing that the space under the bath cannot be accessed without tools, that space is considered to be out of zone.
  • The information contained is for guidance only. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact Lavender Electrical.  ​