Mike Humphrey wrote in
o.uk:

Graham. wrote:
On Fri, 11 Dec 2015 23:29:35 -0000, "Tough Guy no. 1265"
wrote:

Had a look around on t'internet, seems to be no real reason to have a
shower cord in the bathroom. Why does it need to be switched off any
more than any other appliance? Apart from maintainence once a
decade, in which case you pull the fuse in the fusebox.

Doesn't have to be a pullcord, can be a dolly switch outside the
bathroom.
I don't trust pullcord switches, even if they have a mechanical
tell-tail, so I would always isolate upstream as well.

Every appliance needs an isolator, and an isolator must isolate all
live conductors - that is both line and neutral. It also needs to be
either near enough the appliance that someone working on the appliance
can see (and stop!) somone going to turn it back on, or it needs a
lock. So the fuse in the main fusebox doesn't count - it's single pole
and out of sight (in practice with a fuse you can pull the fuse and
put it in your pocket, but it's still single pole and technically not
an isolator).

For most appliances, they have a plug. Unplugging meets all the
requirements for isolation. Appliances that don't have an accessible
plug need an isolator switch. That's usually a rocker switch in an
appropriate rating mounted next to the appliance. These aren't allowed
in a bathroom, though, so you have three choices:
a) A pull-cord isolator in the bathroom
b) A rocker switch isolator outside the bathroom, but still within
sight of someone working on the shower.
c) An isolator outside the bathroom that can be locked out.

The default choice seems to be a, though I would argue b is better if
possible.

Mike

The thick cables can make the choice obvious!