Standard for electrical installations in office and educational furniture connected to the supply by means of a 13A  BS1363 plug – Standard UK square pin plug.   

BS6396 applies to electrical installations in office and educational furniture connection to the supply by a 13A plug complying with BS1363 – the Standard UKsquare pin plug.
Installations complying with BS6396 may also be specified in locations where UK electrical practice and sockets are also used such as the Eire, UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Furniture installations connected by other means such as underfloor track tap-offs, Industrial connectors or hard wiring should be installed in accordance with BS7671 Requirements for Electrical installations.

Recently updated to include furniture for use in educational establishments – Schools – Colleges – Libraries – Universities

The latest review of BS6396 published in November 2008 widened the Scope of the Standard  to include Educational  furniture. Effectively bringing electrical installations in educational furniture connected by means of a 13A plug under the same rules as commercial office desks and workstations. This change was requested by the British Standard Committee with responsibility for Educational furniture to ensure that students in schools, colleges, universities and training establishments enjoy the same levels of safety as staff in commercial premises. Installations in these establishments connected by other means will need to comply with BS7671.

Restricts the number of sockets connected from a single 13A plug to a maximum of 6

BS6396 restricts the maximum number of sockets fed from a single 13A plug supply to 6 when they are individually fused at 3.15A.

A maximum of 4 sockets may be individually fused at 5A.

These restrictions should  not be exceeded as it may lead to overload or excessive earth leakage currents back to the supply.
The sockets on BS6396 compliant installations are for use with equipment with a maximum current rating of 5A. The furniture mounted sockets must not be used for high current appliances such as kettles, vacuum cleaners and heaters.

If equipment exceeding this rating is to be used on the furniture this must be connected directly to it’s own 13A supply socket. The cable may be routed through the furniture.

All sockets must be individually fused – 5A for a maximum of 4 sockets – 3.15A for a maximum of 6 sockets.

Office Electrics power modules are fitted with ceramic anti-surge HRC fuses as standard. Replacements must be of the same type and rating and comply with the restrictions as previously indicated.
Under no circumstances should glass fuses be used as replacements even though the rating may be the same.

Furniture to be provided with facilities for cabling and sockets

For compliance with BS6396 the furniture into which the electrical  accessories and cabling are to be installed must comply with relevant structural strength and stability Standards. Facilities for mounting sockets in accessible locations, routes for cables and cable clamps should be provided.

Modules available for both earthed and unearthed installations.

For guidance please contact our Wakefield office.
Office Electrics modules are supplied as standard complete with a 250mm long 1.5mm ² earth bond cable terminated with M5 ring terminal. Other sizes and lengths are available to order.
The earth bond cables may be removed and replaced to meet the installations earthing requirements.
If earth cables are not required please indicate this on placing any order.

Office Electrics can provide suitable desktop and underdesk units to meet the requirements of BS6396.

All Office Electrics modules are available with individually fused sockets marked with the relevant ratings - 3.15A and 5A.

Bespoke solutions available for special applications – meeting rooms – reception desks etc.

Please contact Office Electrics Sales or Technical Departments for special requirements and specifications.