ME5507 - Electrical Services

10 Electric Shock

10.1 Introduction
The focus here is on low-voltage, because this applies to the majority of electric
shock incidents.

10.2 Effects of electric shock

The current that might flow through the body, given a known touch voltage, could be
calculated if the body impedance could be estimated. This is considered in
IEC 60479-1 [9], but the impedance is highly variable, so current cannot be reliably
predicted.
Much work has been done to attempt to quantify the physiological effects of electric
shock. The effects are dependent on many factors including body weight and
wetness of the skin. Also, the path of fault current through the body is highly
variable. Current that passes in the vicinity of the head or heart is likely to cause
most harm.
It has been found that different values of current can be tolerated for different periods
of time. European shock protection practice is based on the results given in
IEC 60479-1 as illustrated for ac and dc overleaf.
Of particular concern is the effect on the heart muscles (especially ventricular
fibrillation). Interference with the normal operation of the heart muscles is
particularly likely to occur if the shock current is maintained for longer than
approximately 0.4 seconds. Consequently this has been adopted as a conventional
disconnection time for protection against electric shock.

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10.3 Fault protection design

Electric shock protection is provided to meet two types of hazard:

Basic protection - protection under normal, fault-free conditions,
Fault protection - protection under fault conditions
Guidance on standard methods of protection is given in BS EN 61140 [10]. To
provide basic protection we must prevent the contact with energised metalwork
happening in the first place, e.g. with the use of insulation or enclosures, or placing
out of reach.

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For fault protection, we are primarily concerned with earth faults, which are faults of
negligible impedance between a line conductor and exposed conductive part of
equipment or a protective conductor [5].
We cannot prevent contact in the case of an earth fault, since the fault energises
parts exposed to touch, but instead we must attempt to ensure that if an earth fault
occurs then any shock is not fatal. It is useful to consider the touch voltage, which is
the voltage difference across the body when someone is receiving an electric shock,
e.g. between the metalwork made live by the fault and other metalwork within reach,
or just the floor.
BS7671 describes different ways of achieving shock protection but by far the most
important is automatic disconnection of supply. [5, reg. 411]. In this:
• basic protection entails insulating or enclosing live parts; and
• fault protection entails protective earthing and bonding, and automatic
disconnection in the case of a fault.
Thus fault protection involves:
• limiting the touch voltage, and hence the current through the body, using
bonding, i.e. we make permanent electrical connections between
simultaneously accessible metal parts; and
• limiting the duration of the fault, and hence any resulting shock, by the
automatic operation of protective devices (i.e. fuses or circuit breakers).
This will be made more complicated if we have more than one source of supply (e.g.
embedded generators).
The function of bonding is to ensure that conductive parts are maintained at the
same potential. Exposed metalwork is also connected to the installation’s earth
terminal. This is typically derived from the armouring or sheath of the incoming cable
(TN systems), or earth rods may be driven into the ground locally to the building (TT
systems).
Automatic disconnection is achieved using protective devices. Frequently the same
device which provides overcurrent protection is used. Alternatively, a residual
current device (RCD) may need to be used. This will be unaffected by any
overcurrents except for earth fault currents.

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The operation of the protective device rapidly enough depends on ensuring that, in
the event of an earth fault, sufficient fault current flows (though not through any
body!). To achieve this, the exposed conductive part is connected to the circuit
protective conductor (cpc). This conductor is not normally energised but provides a
low impedance path back through the installation to the earth. Examples include
cable armour, steel conduit and trunking, and a separate conductor.

10.4 Standard systems at low voltage

There are several ways in which earthing might be carried out at lv premises. These
earthing systems are classified in a standard way in BS7671 [5] and BS7430 [11].
They differ in the way that the earth terminal for the lv installation is derived. This
might be from a local electrode or through the distribution network cabling.
Standard systems are denoted: TN-C, TN-S, TN-CS, IT, TT.
where: T - Terra (earth); N – Neutral; C – Combined; S – Separate

Note ESQCR Reg. 24(4) [1]:

“Unless he can reasonably conclude that it is inappropriate for reasons of

safety, a distributor shall, when providing a new connection at low voltage,
make available his supply neutral conductor or, if appropriate, the protective
conductor of his network for connection to the protective conductor of the
consumer’s installation.”

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10.5 Earth fault loop impedance

If an earth fault occurs on a piece of equipment then an earth fault loop is formed
and we want to ensure that:
the Earth Fault Loop Impedance is low enough,
so that the fault current is large enough,
so that the protective device operates fast enough.

For 230 V systems supplying final circuits up to 32 A for fixed equipment or 63 A for
socket outlets the disconnection time should not exceed 0.4 s for TN and 0.2 s for TT
systems. For other circuits this is relaxed to 5 s for TN and 1 s for TT systems.
Other disconnection times apply in some of the special installations or locations (e.g.
BS 7671 Part 7).
In addition, for final circuits feeding socket outlets rated up to 32 A, an RCD is
required.

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10.5.1 TN Systems
Earth fault loop takes the form:

Ze Z1

230 V
Earth Fault

Z2
Z1 = phase conductor impedance
Z2 = cpc impedance
Ze = earth fault loop impedance external to the installation
Zs = earth fault loop impedance

Zs = Ze + Z1 + Z2

Ze is declared by the distributor for low-voltage supplies, as required by the

Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 [1].
(See http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2665/regulation/28/made)
Typical values quoted would be:
Supply rating Ze (Ohms)
100 A 0.35
200 A 0.2
400 A 0.1

These represent the highest values. Actual value may differ according to the
configuration of the local distribution network. Because we are trying to ensure a
maximum disconnection time then we are interested in the highest value of Ze that
could exist.
BS 7671 tabulates for various protective devices the maximum permitted earth fault
loop impedance that complies, as shown in the following table, for example.

Maximum earth fault loop impedance (Zs) for fuses to BS 88-2 for 0.4 s and 5 s
disconnection times with Uo of 230 V (taken from BS7671)

Rating (amps):

Disconnection time 10 16 20 25 32 40 50

0.4 s 4.65 Ω 2.43 Ω 1.68 Ω 1.29 Ω 0.99 Ω

5s 6.8 Ω 4.0 Ω 2.8 Ω 2.2 Ω 1.7 Ω 1.3 Ω 0.99 Ω

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If the source of lv supply is in your control, e.g. supply to site is at hv, then the
impedance of your transformer needs to be used. Beware of standby supplies,
which are likely to have high impedances. In the case of U.P.S. it is usual to arrange
for the equipment to go into by-pass as soon as the fault current rises. For on-site
generation the alternator impedance will limit the fault current. One can specify
short circuit maintenance whereby the alternator excitation is maintained despite the
loss of terminal voltage. It may still not be possible to operate overcurrent devices
fast enough and separate earth fault protection, e.g. RCD, may be required.

10.5.2 TT systems
On TT systems it is normal to use an RCD because the Ze is often very high as a
result of the earth electrode resistance. If an RCD is used to provide earth fault
protection in 230 V systems, then for final circuits up to 32 A the disconnection time
should not exceed 0.2 s, and for other circuits this is relaxed to 1 s.
Both should be easily achieved by the RCD. But in addition we need:
R A × I Δn ≤ 50 V
Where: RA = sum of earth electrode resistance and protective conductor
connecting it to exposed conductive parts, i.e. R2
IΔn = rated residual operating current of RCD.
This ensures that the touch voltage is limited to 50 V for faults just sufficient to trip
the RCD.

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Tutorial Questions

10.1 A single-phase radial circuit rated at 32 A is to be installed to supply a piece of

fixed equipment with the circuit length being 25 m. The source of supply is
230 V, 50 Hz; the earthing system is TN with a declared value of external
earth fault loop impedance, Ze, of 0.8 Ω.

The cable selected is PVC-insulated and incorporates the circuit protective

conductor. PVC insulation limits normal operating temperature of conductors
to 70 °C, at which temperature the conductor impedances are:
phase conductor resistance, R1 = 5.53 mΩ/m
circuit protective conductor resistance, R2 = 8.89 mΩ/m

The circuit protective device will be a BS 88 type fuse, and it is proposed to

specify a 32 A rating.

(a) Calculate the value of the earth fault loop impedance at the remote end
of the circuit and comment on your value. [1.16 Ω]
(b) Make two suggestions, including your justification, for improving the
design of this circuit.

10.2 A circuit fed from a 230 V TN supply feeds a distribution board, and its
conductors are protected by a 63 A fuse. The cable used is a multicore
PVC/SWA/PVC with copper conductors. The earth fault loop impedance at
the distribution board is at the maximum permitted value of 0.78 Ω.

Determine the minimum value of cross-sectional area of the circuit protective

conductor if it takes the following form:
(i) the cable armour; [12.9 mm2]
(ii) a conductor within the multicore circuit cable; [5.7 mm2]
(iii) a separate, single-core cable. [4.6 mm2]

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