Q & A of the Day – How to arrange air-conditioning to prevent turning off by unauthorised people?

Question: I work as maintenance electrician at a university. In a ground floor cafeteria area where students and staff take rest periods, there are two air-conditioning plants fitted in the false ceiling to supply air to the open area. There is a fused double-pole switch adjacent to each air-conditioning unit. We have had occasions where the units have been switched off by people other than staff.

My question is, can I change the double-pole switches with single-phase non-switched fused spur outlets so that the units cannot be switched off?

Answer: Regulation 537.3 requires that a means of switching off for mechanical maintenance shall be provided where mechanical maintenance may involve a risk of burns or a risk of injury from mechanical movement. If the switch was located remotely from the air-conditioning unit, then you would require the switch to be lockable.

Devices suitable for switching off for mechanical maintenance include isolators, switches and circuit breakers.

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