1795 scossa elettrica

I posted this mesage in another thread but subsequent posts have left me worried that the reassuring words of my landlord might not have been correct. Can anyone tell me what the regulations require and if the [I]impianto elettrico[/I] is [I]fuore della legge[/I] ?

I rent an apartment that is part of a condominio, which has no earth wiring. I received a mild eletric shock from a screw on the outside of a light switch (the screw was brushing against a loose wire inside the switch). This worried me the more because it happened in the bathroom when I was wearing rubber soled shoes. I asked the landlord what he thought might have happened to me if I had been in the bath at the time. He said that I would never have been electrocuted because there is an RCD (salvavita) installed and that is so safe that that is all the law requies of them. Italian friends tell me that this situation is commonplace and are of the same opinion as my landlord that the law requires the impianto to be earthed OR an RCD to be installed.

I have read what I imagine is the correct regulation but I find paragraph 2 ambiguous - what do others think?
Legge 5 Marzo 1990, n. 46 - Art. 7 (Installazione degli impianti)
1. Le imprese installatrici sono tenute ad eseguire gli impianti a regola d'arte utilizzando allo scopo materiali parimenti costruiti a regola d'arte. I materiali ed i componenti realizzati secondo le norme tecniche di sicurezza dell'Ente italiano di unificazione (UNI) e del Comitato elettrotecnico italiano (CEI), nonché nel rispetto di quanto prescritto dalla legislazione tecnica vigente in materia, si considerano costruiti a regola d'arte.
2. In particolare gli impianti elettrici devono essere dotati di impianti di messa a terra e di interruttori differenziali ad alta sensibilità o di altri sistemi di protezione equivalenti.
3. Tutti gli impianti realizzati alla data di entrata in vigore della presente legge devono essere adeguati, entro tre anni da tale data (2), a quanto previsto dal presente articolo.

Category
Che significa? - Italian Language Queries

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 11/18/2005 - 07:59

Second paragraph says exactly what your landlord and friends say: if you have a salvavita (that's one of the alternative safety appliances). Point is, new systems must be grounded, but as you know so many Italian homes has been build before this was the case, and to make a new installation means lots of money, breaking down walls etc. So they add a salvavita (my parents had it already back in the '70ies, and as I was refurbishing an old house last year we had one installed too). Mild shocks, that's the history of my life, I seem to be very prone to them. The only thing everyone recommends, is to unplug youe electric water heater (if you have a gas one connected to cntral heating tha's not a point) if you are going to shower.

For the rest, I would not worry too much anyway, and just avoid the clichè things with electricity and water (so, avoid plugged appliances too close when bathing etc.)

Take me as an example, I am still around to tell it, you will be fine with a salvavita.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 11/18/2005 - 08:06

Thanks Mama Orsa - no eletric water heater - thank goodness!

Out of interest, where are you from in Italy?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/20/2005 - 18:14

Out of interest, where are you from in Italy?[/QUOTE]

Abruzzo, from the Gran Sasso park area, but I grew up in Tortoreto, on the beach (yeah, you must be Italian to appreciate all the subtleties implied in answering such a basic question). I am living in the Netherlands, anyway.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/21/2005 - 07:01

[QUOTE=Mamma Orsa cucina]Out of interest, where are you from in Italy?[/QUOTE]

Abruzzo, from the Gran Sasso park area, but I grew up in Tortoreto, on the beach (yeah, you must be Italian to appreciate all the subtleties implied in answering such a basic question). I am living in the Netherlands, anyway.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I knew from reading another post that you are running a language school in the Netherlands and I am, I must say, very impressed with your exquisitie written English.
I am intrigued by the subtelties implied in being born in Europe's largest National Park (am I right?) but being brought up on the beach.
In England people try to read things into where one was born or raised but old rules apply less and less because the population as a whole has become more and more mobile.
I hope to visit Gran Sasso this year to try out the cross country skiing there - the owner of our local bar in Prato is from Abruzzo too and can't speak highly enough of the place and the food. He says that Tuscan food is all "carne e pane", would you agree with him?