Two points:
1. To combine and re-spin some other replies, the name "GFI" might make
you think it detects a fault in the ground connection to your outlet. It
doesn't. The "ground fault" means that some of the current flowing out
on the "hot" line has found another path back to ground other than the
intended path, as evidenced by a different current flowing in the
Neutral lead. That "ground fault" could be you!
The old UK name was ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker). In US-english,
it would translate to "Ground _Leakage_ Circuit Breaker" (or
Interrupter), which IMHO would be somewhat better than "GFI".
The new UK name is RCCB - Residual Current Circuit Breaker (or RCCD
[...device]?). Accurate, if perhaps a bit obscure to non-techies.
2. I believe that for many (30? more?) years the UK regulations at least
(IEE Wiring Regulations) have completely (?) forbidden use of outlets
("sockets" in UK) in British bathrooms, in new construction. (I was told
last year by a London Electricity Board contractor that you can't have
an outlet in a bathroom even if the outlet does have an RCCD.) Special
outlets (isolating low-current transformer??) are mandated for shaver
points. After all, if you provide a standard AC outlet in a bathroom,
sooner or later someone will plug something into it! And you have no
control of what that is (a heater? a television?), or whether it has its
own protective devices, or how effective those devices are.
Hairdryers in many modern UK _hotels_ are wallmounted (with a hand-held,
non-conductive air hose) and hardwired (not plugged in). In the home, you
use your hairdryer by the bedroom mirror.
Wallmounted lightswitches in bathrooms are also completely(?) forbidden
in UK. (If you touch a switch with wet fingers, the water could run in,
and maybe something bad would happen.) The switch is either located
outside the doorway, or on the bathroom ceiling, operated by a non-
conducting pullcord.
It would be interesting to know if the US approach (low-cost GFI on new
hairdryers) ultimately achieves the same rate of bathroom electrocutions
(all devices, not just dryers) as the more restrictive UK regulations
(no outlets at all). The different supply voltage might complicate the
stats, although the difference between 117V and 230V is surely somewhat
moot when immersed in water?
I think outlets are also forbidden in UK kitchens unless they are some
large distance from the sink etc., so that you can't touch the plumbing
and the electric supply at the same time. Seems like a good idea to me.
Standard practice now seems to be that in _addition_ to the above
restrictions, outlets throughout the house have an RCCD.
If you want to buy a copy rather than read my hearsay:
www.iee.org.uk/publish/books/wireregs.html
(general IEE info:
www.iee.org.uk (web page currently has black-border
and www.webcom.com/ieewest/)
PS, even further off topic: RCCB's are a great way to detect corroded
heating elements in dishwashers and washing machines. (I don't know if
these actually pose a safety hazard, but my mother reports from London
that since rewiring her house last year with RCCD's throughout, she has
had to replace both these appliances although they otherwise worked
fine, because they sometimes tripped the RCCD during the heating cycle.
She also had to ditch a 30+ year old fridge...)
