Section 1 Elc. Revised

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1
PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
1.0 PURPOSE
(A) Practical Safeguarding. The purpose of this Code is the practical safeguarding of persons and
property from hazards arising from the use of electricity.
(B) Adequacy. This Code contains provisions that are considered necessary for safety. Compliance
therewith and proper maintenance results in an installation that is essentially free from hazard but not
necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service or future expansion of electrical use.
(C) Intention. This Code is not intended as a design specification or an instruction manual for untrained
persons.
1.1. SCOPE
(A) Covered. This Code applies to the design, selection, erection, inspection and testing of electrical
installations up to and including 1000.0V a.c. or 1500.0V d.c and covers the installation of electrical
conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and communications conductors, equipment, and
raceways; and optical fiber cables and raceways for the following:
(1) Public, residential, commercial, and industrial premises, including buildings, structures, mobile
homes, prefabricated buildings, construction sites, exhibitions, fairs, floating buildings and other
temporary installations
(2) Yards, lots, parking lots, carnivals, and industrial substations
(3) Installations of conductors and equipment that connect to the supply of electricity
(4) Installations used by the electric utility, such as office buildings, warehouses, garages, machine shops,
and recreational buildings, that are not an integral part of a generating plant, substation, or control center
(B) Not covered: This Code does not apply to:
(1) electric traction equipment,
ETHIOPIAN BUILDING CODE STANDARD
EBCS-10: 2013
(2) electrical equipment of automobiles,

(3) electrical equipment on board ships,
(4) electrical equipment in aircraft,
(5) public street-lighting installations,
(6) installations in mines,
(7) radio interference suppression equipment, except so far as it affects safety of the installation,
(8) fixed wiring for telecommunication, signaling, control and the like,
(9) internal wiring- of apparatus,
(10) utility systems for distribution of energy to the public, or power generation and transmission for
such systems.
(11) Installations of railways for generation, transformation, transmission, or distribution of power
used exclusively for operation of rolling stock or installations used exclusively for signaling and
communications purposes
(12) Installations of communications equipment under the exclusive control of communications
utilities located outdoors or in building spaces used exclusively for such installations.
(13) Installations under the exclusive control of an electric utility where such installations
a. Consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated metering, or
b. Are located in legally established easements, rights of- way, or by other agreements either
designated by or recognized by public service commissions, utility commissions, or other
regulatory agencies having jurisdiction for such installations, or
c. Are on property owned or leased by the electric utility for the purpose of communications,
metering, generation, control, transformation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy.
1.1 NORMATIVE REFERENCES

(1) The following references contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute
provisions of the Ethiopian Building Code Standards on Electrical Installation of Buildings.
a) IEC 60364-1:2001
Electrical installations of buildings - Part 1: Fundamental principles,

assessment of general characteristics, definitions.
b) IEC 60364-1:2001
Electrical installations of buildings Section 131: Fundamental

principles of protection for safety (against electric shock, thermal effects,
overcurrent, fault currents, and overvoltage)
c)
IEC 60050:1982
International Electrotechnical Vocabulary.
d)
BS 7671:1992
Requirements for Electrical Installations, IEE Wiring Regulations, Sixteenth

Edition.
e)
C22.1:1992
Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations,
Sixteenth Edition.
f) NEC 2008/ NFPA 70
EBCS-10: 2013
(2) At the time of publication of this Building Code Standard, the editions indicated were valid. All
references are subject to revisions, and parties to agreement and based on this Ethiopian Building
Code Standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of
the references indicated below. The Ethiopian Authority for Standardization maintains registers of a
number of foreign national and international standards.
1.2 DEFINITIONS
(1) For the purpose of this Code, the following definitions shall apply.
Acceptable
acceptable to the Authority enforcing this Code.
Accessible (as applied to wiring methods)
not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of

the building and capable of being removed without
disturbing the building structure or finish.
Accessory
a device, other than current-using equipment, associated

with such equipment or with the wiring of an
installation.
Ambient temperature
the temperature of the air or other medium where the

equipment is to be used.
Ampacity
a steady value of current which can be carried by a

conductor under specified conditions without its steady
state temperature exceeding a specified value.
Appliance
an item of current-using equipment other than a

luminaire or an independent motor.
Arms's reach
a zone of accessibility to touch, extending from any

point on a surface where persons usually stand or move
about, to the limits which a person can reach with his
hand in any direction without assistance.
Barrier
a part providing a defined degree of protection against

contact with live parts, from any usual direction of
access.
Basic insulation
insulation applied to live parts to provide basic

protection against electric shock and exclusively for
functional purposes.
Bonding conductor
a protective conductor providing equipotential bonding.
Branch circuit
that portion of the wiring installation between the final

overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the
outlet(s).
Building
for a working definition, see Annex at the end of the Section

EBCS-10: 2013
Building void, accessible
a space within the structure or the components of a

building accessible only at certain points.
Building void, non-accessible
a space within a structure or the components of a

building which has no ready means of access.
Bunched cables
cables are said to be bunched when two or more are

contained within a single conduit, duct, ducting, or
trunking or, if not enclosed, are not separated from each
other by a specified distance.
Bus
conductor which serves as a common connection for the

corresponding conductors of two or more circuits.
Busway
a raceway -consisting of metal troughing (including

elbows, tees, crosses, in addition to straight runs)
containing conductors, the conductors being supported
on insulators.
Cabinet
an enclosure of adequate mechanical strength, composed

entirely of noncombustible and absorption-resistant
material, designed either for surface or flush mounting,
and provided with a frame, mat, or trim, in which
swinging doors are hung
Cable bracket
a horizontal cable support system, consisting of elements

fixed at one end only, spaced at intervals along the
length of the cable and on which the cable rests.
Cable channel
an enclosure situated above or in the ground, ventilated

or closed, and having dimensions which do not permit
the access of persons but allow access to the conductors
and/or cables throughout their length during and after
installation. A cable channel mayor may not form part of
the building construction.
Cable cleat
a component of a support system, which consists of

elements spaced at intervals along the length of the cable
or conduit.
Cable coupler
a means of enabling the connection or disconnection, at

will, of two flexible cables. It consists of a connector and
a plug.
Cable ducting
a manufactured enclosure of metal or insulating material,

other than conduit or cable trunking, intended for the
protection of cables which are drawn-in after erection of
the ducting ..
EBCS-10: 2013
Cable ladder
a cable support consisting of a series of supporting

elements rigidly fixed to main supporting members. The
supporting elements occupy less than 10% of the plan
area.
Cable tray
a cable support consisting of a continuous base with

raised edges and no covering. A cable tray is considered
to be non-perforated, where less than 30% of the
material is removed from the base.
Cable trunking
a manufactured enclosure for the protection of cables,

normally of rectangular cross-section, of which one side
is removable or hinged.
cable tunnel
an enclosure (corridor) containing supporting structures

for conductors and/or cables and joints and whose
dimensions allow persons to pass freely throughout the
entire length.
Cartridge fuse link
a device comprising a fuse element or several fuse

elements connected in parallel enclosed in a cartridge
usually filled with are-extinguishing medium and
connected to terminations. See fuse link.
Circuit
an assembly of electrical equipment supplied from the

same origin and protected against overcurrent by the
same protective device(s).
Circuit- breaker
a device capable of making, carrying and breaking

normal load currents and also making and automatically
breaking, under predetermined conditions, abnormal
currents such as short-circuit currents. It is usually
required to operate infrequently although some types are
suitable for frequent operation.
.
Circuit-breaker (linked)
Circuit protective conductor(CPC)
a circuit-breaker the contacts of which are so arranged

as to make or break all poles simultaneously or in a
definite sequence.
a protective conductor connecting exposed conductive
parts of equipment to the main earthling terminal.
.
Class I equipment
equipment in which protection against electric shock

does not rely on basic insulation only, but which
includes means for the connection of exposed
conductive parts to a protective conductor in the fixed
wiring of the installation.
EBCS-10: 2013
Class II equipment
equipment in which protection against electric shock

does not rely on basic insulation only, but in which
additional safety precautions such as supplementary
insulation ate provided, there being no provision for the
connection of exposed metalwork of the equipment to a
protective conductor and no reliance upon precautions to
be taken in the fixed wiring of the installation.
Conduit
a part of a closed wiring systems for cables in electrical

installations, allowing then to be drawn in and/or
replaced, but inserted laterally.
Current-permit
a written permission from Authority having jurisdiction

to a supply authority to the effect that electric energy
may be supplied to a particular installation.
Connector
the part of a cable coupler or of an appliance coupler

which is provided with female constants and is intended
to be attached to the end of the flexible cable remote
from the supply.
Current-carrying capacity of a conductor
the maximum current which can be carried by a

conductor under specified conditions without its steady
state temperature exceeding a specified value.
Danger
risk of injury to persons (and livestock where expected

to be persons) from:
a) Fire, electric shock, and burns arising from the use
of electrical energy;
b) Mechanical movement of electrically controlled
equipment, in so far as such danger is intended to be
prevented by electrical emergency switching or by
electoral switching for mechanical maintenance of
non-electrical parts of such equipment.
Design current (of a circuit)
the magnitude of the current (r.m.s. value for a.c.) to be

carried by the circuit in normal service.
Device
a unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry or

control but not utilize electric energy.
Direct contact
contact of persons or livestock with live parts which may

result in electric shock.
Distribution board
an assembly containing switching or protective devices

(e.g. fuses or circuit-breakers) associated with one or
more outgoing circuits fed from one or more incoming
circuits, together with conductors. It may also includes
signaling and other control devices. Means of isolation
may be included in the board or may be provided
separately.
EBCS-10: 2013
Distribution circuit
circuit connecting the origin of the installation to:

a) An item of switchgear,
b) An item of control gear, or
c) A distribution board
To which one or more final circuit or items of current
using equipment are connected (see also final circuit.)
A distribution circuit may also connect the origin of
installation to an outlying building or separate
installation, when it is sometimes called a sub-main
Double insulation
insulation comprising both

supplementary insulation.
Duct
a closed passageway formed underground or in structure

and intended to receive one or more cables which may
be drawn in.
basic
insulation
and
Ducting (see cable ducting)

Earth
Earth electrode
the conductive mass of the Earth, whose electric

potential at any point is conventionally taken as zero.
a conductor or group of conductors in intimate contact
with, and providing an electrical connection to, earth.
Earth electrode resistance
the resistance of earth electrode to earth.
Earth-fault current
a fault current which flows to earth.
Earth-fault loop impedance
the impedance of the earth-fault current loop starting and

ending at the point of earth fault. The earth fault loop
comprises the following, starting at the point of fault;
a) The circuit protective conductor;
b) The consumers earthing terminal and earthing
conductor;
c) The earth return path;
d) The path through the earthen neutral point of the
transformer and the transformer winding; and the
phase conductor from the deliberate use of
capacitors.
Earth-leakage current
a current which flow to extraneous-conductive-parts, in a

circuit which is electrically sound. This current may
have a capacitive component including that resulting
from the deliberate use of capacitors.
Eathring
the act of connecting the exposed-conductive parts of an

installation to the main earthing terminal of an
installation.
EBCS-10: 2013
Earth conductor
a protective conductor connecting the main earthing

terminal of an installation to an earth electrode or to
other means of earthing.
Electric shock
a dangerous physiological effect resulting from the

passing of an electric current through a human body or
livestock.
Electrical equipment
any item for such purposes as generation, conversion,

transmission, distribution or utilization of electrical
energy, such as machines, transformers, apparatus,
measuring instruments, protective devices, writing
materials, accessories appliances and luminaries.
Electrical installation
an assembly of associated electrical equipment supplied

from a common origin to fulfill a specific purpose and
having certain coordinated characteristics.
Electrical independent earth electrodes
earth electrodes located at such a distance from one

another that the maximum current likely to flow through
one of them does not significantly affect the potential of
the other(s).
Electrode boiler, electrode water heater
equipment for the electrical heating of water or

electrolyte by the passage of an electric current between
electrode immersed in the water or electrolyte.
Emergency stopping
emergency switching intended to stop a dangerous

movement.
Emergency switching
rapid cutting off of electrical energy to remove any

unexpected hazard to persons, livestock, or property.
Enclosure
a part providing an appropriate degree of protection of

equipment against certain external influences and a
defined degree of protection against contact with live
parts from any direction.
Equipment (abbr., see electrical equipment).

Equipotential bonding
electoral connection maintain various exposedconductive-parts at substantially the same potential.
Equipotential zone
a conductive par of equipment which can be touched and

which is not a live part but which may become live
under fault conditions.
a conductive part liable to introduce a potential,
generally earth potential, and not forming part of the
electrical installation.
Exposed-conductive-part
EBCS-10: 2013
Fault
a circuit condition in which current flows through an

abnormal or unintended path. This may result from an
insulation failure or the bridging of insulation.
Conventionally the impedance between live conductors
or between live conductors and exposed or extraneousconductive-parts at the fault position is considered
negligible.
Fault current
a current resulting from a fault.
Feeder
a conductor or group of conductors that transmit

electrical energy from a service supply, transformer,
switchboard, distribution centre, generator, or other
source of supply to branch circuit overcurrent device.
Final circuit
a circuit connected directly to current-using equipment,

or to a socket-outlet or socket-outlets or to other outlet
points for the connection of such equipment.
Fixed equipment
equipment fastened to a support or otherwise secured in

specific location.
Flexible wiring system
a wiring system designed to provide mechanical

flexibility in use without degradation of the electrical
components.
Functional earthing
connection to earth necessary for proper functioning of

electrical equipment.
Functional extra-low voltage
any extra-low voltage system is which not all of the

protective measures required for SELV have been
applied.
Fuse
a device that by the fusing of once or more of its

specially designed and proportioned components, opens
the circuit in which it is inserted by breaking the current
when this exceeds a given value for a sufficient time.
The fuse comprises all the parts that form the complete
device.
Fuse element
a part of a fuse designed to melt when the fuse operates.
Fuse link
a part of a fuse, including the fuse elements(s), which

requires replacement by a new or renewable fuse link
after the fuse has operated and before the fuse is put
back into service.
Hot air sauna
a room or location in which air is heated to a high

temperature and in which the relative humidity is
EBCS-10: 2013
normally low, rising for short periods of time only when

water is poured over the heater.
Indirect contact
contact of persons or livestock with exposed-conductiveparts made live by fault and which may result in electric
shock.
Installation (abbr. see electrical installation).

Insulation
suitable non-conductive material enclosing, surrounding,

or supporting a conductor.
Isolation
a function intended to cut off for reasons of safety the

supply from all, or a discrete section, of the installation
by separating the installation or section from every
source of electrical energy.
Isolator
a mechanical switching device which provides the

function of isolation.
Ladder (see cable ladder)

Live part
a conductor or conductive part intended to be energized

in normal use, including a neutral conductor.
Luminaire
equipment which distributes, filters, or transforms the

light from one or more, lamps, and which includes any
parts necessary for supporting, fixing and where
necessary, circuit auxiliaries together with means for
connecting them to the supply. For the purpose of the
regulations a lamp holder, however, supported is deemed
to be luminaire.
Luminaire supporting couplet (LSC)
a means, comprising an LSC outlet and an LSC plug,

providing mechanical support for a luminaire and the
electrical connection to and disconnection from a fixed
wiring installation.
LV switching and control gear assembly
a combination of one or more low-voltage switching

devices together with associated control, measuring
signaling protective, regulating equipment, etc,
completely assembled under the responsibility of the
manufacturer with all the internal electrical and
mechanical interconnection and structural parts. The
components of the assembly may be electro mechanical
or electronic. The assembly may be either type-tested or
partially type- tested.
Main earthing terminal
the terminal or bar provided for the connection of

protective conductors, including equpotential bonding
EBCS-10: 2013
conductors, and conductors for functional earthing if

any, to the means of earthing.
Mechanical maintenance
the replacement refurbishment or cleaning of lamps and

non-electrical parts of equipment, plant, and machinery.
Neutral conductor
a conductor connected to the neutral point of a system

and contributing to the transmission of electrical energy.
Nominal voltage (see voltage, nominal).

Obstacle
a part preventing unintentional contact with live parts

but not preventing deliberate contact.
Origin of an installation
the position at which electrical energy is delivered to an

electrical installation.
Overcurrent
a current exceeding the rated value. For conductors the

rated value is the current-carrying capacity.
Overcurrent detection
a method of establishing that the value of current in a

circuit exceeds a predetermined value for a specified
length of time.
an overcurrent occurring in circuit which is electrically
sound.
Overload current
Permit
the official written permission of the Authority having

jurisdiction on a form provided for the purpose,
authorizing work to be commenced on any electrical
installation.
Phase conductor
a conductor of an a.c. systems for the transmission of

electrical energy other than a neutral conductor. The
term also means the equivalent conductor of a d.c.
system unless otherwise specified in this Code.
Plug
a device, provided with contact pins, which is intended

to be attached to a flexible cable, and which can be
engaged with a socket-outlet or with a connector.
Point
a termination of the fixed wiring intended for the

connection of current-using equipment.
Portable equipment
electrical equipment which is moved while in operation

or which can easily be moved from one place to another
while connected to the supply.
Prospective fault current
the value of over current at a given point in a circuit

resulting from a fault of negligible impedance between
live conductors having a difference of potential under
EBCS-10: 2013
normal operating conditions, or between a live conductor

and an exposed-conductive-part.
Protective conductor
a conductor used for some measures of protection

against electric shock and intended for connecting
together any of the following parts (refer to Figure 1.1)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Exposed conductive parts

Extraneous conductive parts
The main earthing terminal
Earth electrode(s)
The earthen point of the source, or an artificial
neutral.
Raceway
an enclosed channel designed expressly for holding

wires, cables, or busbars, with additional function as
permitted in this code.
Reduced low voltage system
a system in which the nominal phase voltage does not

exceed 110.0V and the nominal phase to earth voltage
does not exceed 63.5V.
Reinforced insulation
single insulation applied to live parts, which provides a

degree of protection against electric shock equivalent to
double insulation standard.
EBCS-10: 2013
Figure 1.1 Example of earthing arrangements

1,2,3,4 Protective conductors
1.
2.
3.
4.
Circuit protective conductor

Main equipotential bonding conductors
Earthing conductor
Supplementary equipotential bonding
Conductors 9where enquired)
B Main earthing terminal

M
C
P
T
E
Exposed conductive part

Extraneous conductive part
Main metallic water pipe
Earth electrode
Other means of earthing
Residual current
the vector sum of the instantaneous values of current

flowing through all live conductors of a circuit at a point
in the electrical installation.
Residual current device
a mechanical switching device or associate of devices

intended to cause the opening of the contacts when the
residual current attains a given value under specified
conditions.
Residual operating current
residual current which causes the residual current device

to operate under specified conditions.
EBCS-10: 2013
Resistance area (for an each electrode only)
the surface area of ground (around an earth electrode) on

which an significant voltage gradient may exist.
Restrictive conductive location
a location comprised mainly of metallic or conductive

surrounding parts. Within which is likely that a person
will come into contract through a substantial portion of
his body with the conductive surrounding parts and
where the possibility of preventing this contact is
limited.
Ring final circuit
a final circuit arranged in the form of a ring and

connected to a single point of supply.
Safety service
an electrical system of electrical equipment provided to

protect or warn persons in the event of a hazard, or
essential to their evacuation from a location.
SELV
an extra-low voltage system which is electrically

separated from Earth and from other systems in such a
way that a single fault cannot give raise to the risk of
electric shock.
Service
the conductors and equipment for delivering energy

from the electricity supply system to the wiring system
of the premises served.
Shock (See electric shock)

Shock current
a current passing through the body of a person or

livestock such as to cause electric shock and having
characteristics likely to cause dangerous effects.
Short-circuit current
an overcurrent resulting from a fault of negligible

impedance between live conductors having a difference
in potential under normal operating conditions.
Simultaneously accessible parts
conductors or conductive parts which can be touched

simultaneously by a person or, in locations specifically
intended for them, by livestock.
Simultaneously accessible parts may be Live parts,
exposed-conductive-parts, extraneous-conductive-parts,
protective conductors, or each electrodes.
Socket-outlet
a device, provided with female contacts, which is

intended to be installed with the fixed wiring, and
intended to receive a plug. A luminaire track system is
not regarded as a socket-outlet system.
Spur
a branch from a ring final circuit.
EBCS-10: 2013
Stationary equipment
electrical equipment which is either fixed, or equipment

having a mass exceeding 18.0kg and not provided with a
carrying handle.
Supplementary insulation
independent insulation applied in addition to basic

insulation in order to provide protection against electric
shock in the event of a failure of basic insulation.
Supply authority
any municipal corporation, commission, company or

person supplying electrical power or energy intended for
sale or distribution to the public.
Switch
a mechanical device capable of making, carrying and

breaking current under normal circuit conditions, which
may include specified operating overload conditions,
and also of carrying for a specified time currents under
specified abnormal circuit conditions such as those of
short-circuit. It may also be capable of making but not
breaking, short-circuit currents.
Switch, linked
a switch the contact of which are so arranged as to make

or break all poles simultaneously or in a definite
sequence.
Switchboard
an assembly of switchgear with or without instruments,

but the term does not apply to groups of local switches
in final circuits.
Switchgear
an assembly of main and auxiliary switching apparatus

for operation, regulation, protection or other control of
an electrical installation.
System
an electrical system consisting of a single source of

electrical energy and an installation. For the purpose of
this Code, the system adopted shall be TT system. A
system having one point of the source of energy directly
earthen, the exposed-conductive-parts of the installation
being connected to earth electrodes electrically
independent of the earth electrodes of the source, (see
Figure 1.2).
Temporary supply unit
an enclosure containing equipment for the purpose of

taking a temporary electrical supply safely from an item
of street furniture.
Trunnking (see cable trunking).

Voltage, nominal
voltage by which an installation (or part of an

installation) is designated. The following ranges of
nominal voltage (r.m.s. values for a.c.) are defined:
EBCS-10: 2013
Extra-low: Normally not exceeding 50.0V a.c. or 120.0V

ripple free d.c., whether between conductors or to earth,
Low: Normally exceeding extra-low voltage but not
exceeding 1000.0V a.c or 1500.0V d.c. between
conductors, or 600.0V a.c. or 900.0V d.c. between
conductors and earth.
The actual voltage of the installation may differ from the
nominal value by a quantity within normal tolerance.
Figure 1.2 TT System
Voltage reduced (see reduced low voltage system).

Wiring system
an assembly made up of cable or busbars and parts

which secure and, if necessary, enclose the cable or
busbars.
EBCS-10: 2013
ANNEX
TYPES OF BUILDINGS CATEGORIZED IN ETHIOPIA (Prepared for and approved by the former Ministry of
Infrastructure, 2005)
In order to determine the design consultants' and design checkers service fee, building projects are
identified in types based on function and grouped into three categories in order of magnitude and
complexity. Accordingly, the three categories are "SIMPLE", "MODERATE" and "COMPLEX".
Simple Projects
These refer to projects or buildings with simple geometry and limited functions. The geometric feature and
functions do not require specialized design input. The unit cost in this category may not be much but due
to repetitive units and the resultant infrastructure and services the project cost can run into millions.
Moderate Projects
These refer to buildings or projects with complex geometry and a combination of two or three functions
put together in one.
Complex Projects
These refer to projects with complex geometry and which have more than three functions in the program.
Buildings can be classified, based on occupancy, as follows:
GROUP 1 PROJECTS
Group A : Residential Buildings
Group B : Educational Buildings
Group C : Business Buildings
Group D : Mercantile Buildings
GROUP 2 PROJECTS
Group E : Institutional Buildings
Group F : Assembly Buildings
GROUP 3 PROJECTS
EBCS-10: 2013
Group G : Industrial Buildings

Group H : Storage Buildings
Group I : Hazardous Buildings
1.
Group A : Residential Buildings

These are those buildings in which sleeping accommodation is provided for normal residential
purposes, with or without cooking or dinning or both facilities. Buildings of Group A are further
sub-divided as follows:
2.
i.
Lodging and Rooming Houses
ii.
One or two Family Private Dwellings, quadruple houses, etc.
iii.
Dormitories
iv.
Apartment Houses (Flats)
v.
Hotels
Group B : Educational Buildings

These include any building used for school, college, or day-care purposes for more than 8 hours
per week involving assembly for instruction education or recreation and which is not covered by
Group F.
3.
Group C : Business Buildings

These include any building or part of a building, which is used for the transaction of business
(other than that covered by building in Group D); for the keeping of accounts and records and
similar purposes; doctors' and dentists' (unless these are covered by the provisions of Group E);
service facilities, such as new stands, lunch counters serving less than 100 persons, barber
shops and beauty parlors.
City halls, town halls, courthouses and libraries should be classified in this group in so far as the
principal function of these is transaction of public business and the keeping of books and records.
Minor office occupancy incidental to operation is another type of occupancy should be classified
under the relevant group for main occupancy.
4.
Group D : Mercantile Buildings

These include any building or part of a building, which is used as shops, stores, markets, for
display and sale of merchandise, either wholesale or retail.
EBCS-10: 2013
Office, storage and service facilities incidental to the sale of merchandise and located in the same
building should be included under this group.
Minor merchandising operations in buildings primarily meant for other uses should be covered by
group under which the predominant occupancy is classified.
5.
Group E : Institutional Buildings

These include any building or part therefore, which is used for purposes such a medical or other
treatment or care of persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease or infirmity; care of
infants, conval escents or aged persons and for penal or correctional detention in which the liberty
of inmates is restricted. Institutional buildings ordinarily provide sleeping accommodation for the
occupants.
Buildings under group C are further sub-divided as follows:
I. Hospitals and Sanitaria
II. Custodial Institutions
III. Penal Institutions
6.
Group F : Assembly Buildings

These include any building or part of a building, where group of people congregate or gather for
amusement, recreation, social, religious, patriotic, civil, travel and similar purpose, for example,
theatres, motion picture houses, assembly halls, auditoria, exhibition halls, museums, skating
rinks, gymnasiums, restaurants, places or worship, dance halls, club rooms, passenger stations
and terminals or air, surface and marine public transportation service, recreation piers and stadia.
Buildings under group F are further sub-divided as follows:
i. Sub-division F-1
This sub-division includes any building primarily meant for theatrical or operatic performances
and exhibitions and which has a raised stage, proscenium curtain, fixed or portable scenery or
scenery loft, lights, motion picture booth, mechanical appliances or other theatrical accessories
and equipment and which is provided with fixed seats over 1000 persons.
ii. Sub-division F-2
This sub-division includes any building primarily meant for use as described for sub-division F-1
but with fixed seats for less than 1000 persons.
iii. Sub-division F-3
This sub-division includes any building, its lobbies, rooms and other spaces connected thereto,
primarily intended for assembly of people, but which has no theatrical stage or theatrical and/or
cinematographic accessories and has accommodation for more than 300 persons, for example,
EBCS-10: 2013
dance halls, night clubs, halls for incidental picture shows, dramatic, theatrical or educational
presentation; lectures or other similar purposes, having no theatrical stage except a raised
platform and used without permanent seating arrangement; art galleries; museums; lecture halls;
libraries; passenger terminals and buildings used for educational purposes for less than 8 hours
per week.
iv. Sub-division F-3
This sub-division includes any building primarily intended for use as described in sub-division D-3
but with accommodation for less than 300 persons.
v. Sub-division F-4
This sub-division includes any building meant for outdoor assembly of people not covered by subdivision F-1 to F-4, for example, grand stands, stadia, amusement park structures, reviewing
stands and circus tents.
7.
Group G : Industrial Buildings

These include any building or part of a building, or structure in which products or materials of all
kinds and properties are fabricated, assembled or processed, for example, assembly plants,
laboratories, dry cleaning plants, power plants, pumping stations, smoke houses, gas plants,
refineries, dairies and saw mills.
8.
Group H : Storage Buildings

These include any building or part of a building, used primarily for the storage or sheltering
(including servicing, processing or repairs incidental to storage) of goods, wares or merchandise
(except those that involve highly combustible or explosive products or materials), vehicles or
animals, for example, warehouses, cold storages, freight depots, transit sheds, store houses,
truck and marine terminals garages, hangers (other than aircraft repair hangars), grain elevators,
barns and stables.
9.
Group I : Hazardous Buildings

These include any building or part of a building which is used for the storage, handling,
manufacture or processing of highly combustible or explosive materials or products which are
liable to burn with extreme rapidity and/or which produce poisonous fumes or explosions; for
storage, handling, manufacturing or processing which involve highly corrosive, toxic or noxious
alkalies, acids or other liquids or chemicals producing flame, fumes and explosive, poisonous
irritant or corrosive gases; and for the storage, handling or processing of any material producing
explosive mixtures of dust or which result in division of matter into fine particles subject to
spontaneous ignition. Examples of buildings in this class are those buildings which are used for:
a.
Storage under pressure of more than 0.1 N/mm and in quantities exceeding 70m of
acetylene, hydrogen, illuminating and natural gases, ammonia, chlorine, phosgene,
sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, methyl oxide and all gases subject to explosion, fume or
toxic hazard;
EBCS-10: 2013
b.
Storage and handling of hazardous and highly flammable liquids;
c.
Storage and handling of hazardous and highly flammable or explosive materials other
than liquids; and
d.
Manufacture of artificial flowers, synthetic leather, ammunition, explosives and fireworks.
EBCS-10: 2013

Section 1 Elc. Revised

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Section 1 Elc. Revised

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

(2) electrical equipment of automobiles,

1.1 NORMATIVE REFERENCES

Electrical installations of buildings - Part 1: Fundamental principles,

Electrical installations of buildings Section 131: Fundamental

International Electrotechnical Vocabulary.

Requirements for Electrical Installations, IEE Wiring Regulations, Sixteenth

Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations,

ETHIOPIAN BUILDING CODE STANDARD

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

acceptable to the Authority enforcing this Code.

Accessible (as applied to wiring methods)

not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of

a device, other than current-using equipment, associated

the temperature of the air or other medium where the

a steady value of current which can be carried by a

an item of current-using equipment other than a

a zone of accessibility to touch, extending from any

a part providing a defined degree of protection against

insulation applied to live parts to provide basic

a protective conductor providing equipotential bonding.

that portion of the wiring installation between the final

for a working definition, see Annex at the end of the Section

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

Building void, accessible

a space within the structure or the components of a

Building void, non-accessible

a space within a structure or the components of a

cables are said to be bunched when two or more are

conductor which serves as a common connection for the

a raceway -consisting of metal troughing (including

an enclosure of adequate mechanical strength, composed

a horizontal cable support system, consisting of elements

an enclosure situated above or in the ground, ventilated

a component of a support system, which consists of

a means of enabling the connection or disconnection, at

a manufactured enclosure of metal or insulating material,

ETHIOPIAN BUILDING CODE STANDARD

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

a cable support consisting of a series of supporting

a cable support consisting of a continuous base with

a manufactured enclosure for the protection of cables,

an enclosure (corridor) containing supporting structures

Cartridge fuse link

a device comprising a fuse element or several fuse

an assembly of electrical equipment supplied from the

a device capable of making, carrying and breaking

Circuit protective conductor(CPC)

a circuit-breaker the contacts of which are so arranged

ETHIOPIAN BUILDING CODE STANDARD

equipment in which protection against electric shock

SECTION 1: PURPOSE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

equipment in which protection against electric shock

a part of a closed wiring systems for cables in electrical

a written permission from Authority having jurisdiction

the part of a cable coupler or of an appliance coupler

Current-carrying capacity of a conductor

the maximum current which can be carried by a

risk of injury to persons (and livestock where expected

Design current (of a circuit)

the magnitude of the current (r.m.s. value for a.c.) to be

a unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry or

contact of persons or livestock with live parts which may