What is BS 4444 – Electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor about?

The possibility of damage to, disconnection from, or a rise in impedance of, any protective conductor, cannot be eliminated by periodic inspection and, in any event, accidental damage could occur between inspections. BS 4444 is a British standard that discusses earth monitoring devices that are intended to maintain a continuous check on the integrity of the protective earth conductor.

Earthing is used to protect you from an electric shock. It does this by providing a path (a protective conductor) for a fault current to flow to the earth.

BS 4444 outlines the principles involved in the design and construction of earth monitoring, earth proving and insulation monitoring devices, together with the requirements for their safe use and application.

Who is BS 4444 – Electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor for?

BS 4444 on electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor is relevant to:

Earth monitoring system manufacturers
Quality testing personnel
Electrical engineers

Why should you use BS 4444 – Electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor?

Earth monitoring system provides a means of maintaining a high degree of confidence in the measured impedance of a protective conductor forming part of the earthing arrangements of an electrical system.

BS 4444 guides you regarding the earth proving systems that assist you in establishing a degree of confidence in the continuity of the protective conductor from the proving unit to the remote protected apparatus. BS 4444 also guides you regarding the earth monitoring systems that assist you in maintaining a high degree of confidence in the impedance level of the protective conductor from the monitoring unit to the remote protected apparatus.

BS 4444 also provide you with the methods for evaluating the integrity of the earth connections and knowing whether the earth return paths are in a healthy state to carry earth fault currents.

Overall, BS 4444 provides you with comprehensive guidance useful throughout the process of electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor proving.

BS 4444:1989

Guide to electrical earth monitoring and protective conductor proving

Current

Published:

31 Dec 1989