Why do bathrooms in the UK have different electric plugs?

[novanglus]

Hi all, just been wondering, as I was getting ready to go out, why bathrooms in the UK have different plug sockets than everywhere else in the home (i.e. two pins rather than three)? Assume its for safety but not sure why! Hopefully you guys will have an answer for me for when I get back from the pub! thanks dave...

[spudqueen]

I think the only sockets allowed in a bathroom in the UK are for electric shavers.

[kempie]

http://www.diydata.com/electrics/bathroom_elec trics/bathroom_electrics.php

[vehelpfulguy]

I am not sure if you are aware, but electricity and water are not good combinations.

If, for example, you got in the bath while holding on to an electrical device that was plugged in you are likely to kill yourself.

This is why the light switch in a bathroom is always a string pull cord.

[dipee65]

An approved type shaver socket inn a bathroom is fed via a stepdown transformer in the socket box. The voltage of the socket is 110 Volts The transformer output is connected with what's called a centre tap to earth, so the maximum voltage you could accidentally receive would be about 55 volts.
An ordinary two pin socket would be even more dangerous than a standard 3 pin, 'cos there'd be no earth terminal.
Get a wet razor and bleed to death instead of electrocution.