Our Voltimum Experts answer your questions on a daily basis in our Technical Expertise area. This Question of the Day, about swimming pool steps and bonding, is answered by SELECT:

If the answer is 'yes', the ladder is made up of two separate embedded handrails and a separate step section bolted to the wall of the pool. This is built up of three steps with plastic end inserts. There is a bolt locking together the step and frame. Will they need to be cross-bonded?
Finally, if the cable is to be immersed in water, as would be the case for the step section, does it need to be in 316 stainless, as the copper cable would dissolve away if the water conditions were allowed to become aggressive (they often are).
Answer: In practice, unless there are very exceptional circumstances (which would need to be taken into account by the electrical designer), the conductive parts of the stepladders will be neither exposed-conductive-parts nor extraneous-conductive-parts. Consequently, in normal circumstances, ladders would not need to be bonded.
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