Data/network socket colours for new builds?

[bertster]

Hi,

 

One of my schools is currently having a couple of extra classrooms built and we have just been told by the electrical contractor that all the data / network points must be grey / black rather than the standard white. All the power sockets are grey / black. Does anyone know if this is a actual regulation or just a guideline. Another of my schools had a new extension handed over in January and power and data sockets are white.

 

Thanks

[plexer]

What a load of complete and utter tosh.

 

Ben

[kmount]

Sounds like a stock issue to me

[timbo343]

Thats a load of rubbish! He probably has got a load of grey/black ones that he needs to get rid of.

[bertster]

Something to do with modern disability requirements.... Grey not white..... But not found any documentation on it yet...

[FN-GM]

its utter rubbish.

[kmount]

Contrary to my previous joke and the consensus; Google's turned up some results for it being part of the DDA but it does seem somewhat odd

[Sylv3r]

I never heard anything about this from the architechts when our new sixth form centre was recently built.

 

I am not sure why someone with poor eyesight as part of the DDA regulations would need to be able to distinguish where the network points are. If anything I would have thought the power sockets would need be the colour to stand out.

[john]

Must admit I vaguely remember reading something about Socket colours and DDA but cannot remember where it was but it does ring a bell in my mind.

[Batman]

Hmmm so why don't .ict know about it? All our sockets (new build, they are all new!) are white!

[TNE]

Within building regs part M (access to and use of buildings) it says that front plates to contrast visually from their background.

 

Not sure if its a requirement or best practice.

[plexer]

That bit itself does make sense as it's normally white sockets installed into white dado I suppose.

 

Ben

[garethEds]

I have to say that we have graphite coloured MK power sockets in my IT room. They were installed last Summer. However I asked why this was so - and like you was told that this is what the regulations are - somehting to do with visibility

 

However when I asked about the network sockets - at the time MK did not make Graphite coloured ones so over Easter we had white ones put in.

 

The graphite coloured sockets look nice against the white trunking. They do stand out.

 

GJE

[garethEds]

Within building regs part M (access to and use of buildings) it says that front plates to contrast visually from their background.

 

Not sure if its a requirement or best practice.

 

Ahhhaaaa - that confirms what we were told (didn't see this before my post).

 

GJE

[plexer]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADM_2004.pdf

 

Can't see anything in there regarding data outlets various recommendations for light and power switches though.

 

Ben

[jamesb]

Seriously now, who thinks up these rules?

[TNE]

Ive asked one of my customers who are a large installer to see if they know of any rules. The purchasing guy said that 99% of the jobs he buys material for are specified white but he will find out and let me know.

 

Definition of "contrast visually" in part M is visual perception of one element against another means the difference in light reflectance value is greater than 30 points.

[nsherin]

First I've heard of these requirements. I guess not a bad thing (having been through sight issues after retinal detachment), but then as Sylv3r says, surely it's power you'd want to stand out. FWIW, the last load of data socket installs I had done in April were the standard white ones.

[BaccyNet]

All data sockets installed here in our rebuild (900+) are all white as are power. Would love to see them change all those to a different colour!

[p858snake]

surely the colour wouldn't matter if they are clearly labled with either text or a standard symbol?

[localzuk]

Not sure about network sockets, nothing has ever been said, and all new ones have been white at our place, but light switches and power sockets have had a lick of paint in the last year or so - ie. a coloured box has been painted around them all, so they stand out.

[7andY]

I can understand why Power should stand out, but surely LAN cables are a 'fixed installation', and so don't need to. It's not as if you need to plug/unplug them as a regular ocurrence, in fact, it should be discouraged. (How many times have your punters given you a call and said they can't reconnect the network cable...)

 

7&Y

[apoth0r]

Seriously now, who thinks up these rules?

 

The "consultants" that the government employs to do their work for them. They have to get paid somehow, so why not cause a debate about colours of flippin network points!

So glad I'm starting to get some schools under my business wing, it makes me sick the way some companies leech the money out of education. *Rant over* lol

[bossman]

Since when did a 3 pin 13amp plug fit into an RJ45 socket Hhhhhmmmmm let me think.................................................................................NEVER!!!

 

Even someone who was blind would be able to tell the difference, these bloody stupid bureaucrats who have nothing better to do with their lives except disrupt everyone else's just because they can.

 

I have read in the building regulations about door and window frames being a different contrasting colour but not wiring covers.

[srochford]

Even someone who was blind would be able to tell the difference, these bloody stupid bureaucrats who have nothing better to do with their lives except disrupt everyone else's just because they can.

 

I take your point but given that no-one can find any building reg which says this, is it just possible that this is an architect type decision - ie they think grey will look nicer (matches the carpets???) and is nothing to do with safety or other building regulations!

 

The original poster just said that the electrical contractor said the sockets must be grey but could this be because an architect has put this on the drawings for aesthetic reasons??