I Know:I'll Write A Letter To A Magazine And Show Myself Up!

[Spark123]

How has the company you work for told you to carry out and secure isolations?

 

[Adam_151]

How has the company you work for told you to carry out and secure isolations?

Theres been very little specific guidence on it tbh, just the generic stuff about not taking unnecessary risks, so basically we are left to judge the risks for our selves and select an appropiate course of action

 

[Spark123]

Bit of a difference where I am - we have a procedure to go through.
I'd imagine most companies will have a similar.

Bit of bedtime reading, p9 the ESC/NICEIC seem to agree that taping off isn't a safe method of carrying out an isolation:
http://niceic.org.uk/inc/file-get.asp?FILE=BPG2_March07(sec).pdf&RURL=/en/contractor/section.asp||13

 

[Goldberg]

If you're alone in an empty house, can anyone see you neglect to tape up the breaker?

 

[Spark123]

You may get away with it 99.999% of the time but getting safe practices into your head is important. It is the one time when you are complacent and fail to do it properly that it bites you.

 

[Goldberg]

If you're alone in an empty house and electrocute yourself, can anyone hear you scream?

 

[Spark123]

Why would you scream?

 

[Goldberg]

Ice-cream when it's hot.

 

[NotHimAgain]

If you're alone in an empty house and electrocute yourself, can anyone hear you scream?

According to that font of all knowledge WIKIPEDIA.

Electrocution is also frequently used incorrectly to refer to any electric shock received. However, non-fatal exposure to electricity is referred to as electric shock.

So would you hear yourself scream

 

[Goldberg]

I know. The question was intended to be mischievous.

 

[securespark]

Rubber shoes are amongst my best friends.

This is a wind-up, right??

Well, what do you wear?

Sigh. Rubber-soled shoes that are capped. But the difference is I don't rely on them to save me should I become live.

you knew you could have disconnected the lives at the CU. Why didn't you?

Because I couldn't be rsed.

I feel sorry for your partner & children the day you don't come home.

I feel even sorrier for your boss who has to visit your house and explain why you're not coming home.

I know you feel complacent about it. So did I.


Until someone electrocuted themselves right next to me.

I use the Wylex lockoff device. It doesn't fit all, but fits the vast majority of S and DP switches.

But not all.

Are you qualified?

Yes, with 20+ years experience.

For those switches my lock-off device does not fit, I use MCB lock-off clips. Failing that, I will remove conductors or lock-off the main switch (which it is vital to do with TT supplies anyhow).

This is also how I would deal with the possibility of breaking a neutral & making it live: lock off all poles of all circuits within the property: a lock on each main switch feeding that property.

Spark123 said:

The last time I really got a bad rattle was when a fluorescent fitting was replaced - isolated, secured, tested dead. Only when the neutrals were parted did 230v become apparent on them from a upstream fitting on a different fuse icon_cry.gif

Which tells us that there is no such thing as 'safe isolation', and the sooner people stop believing that there is the better.

Total and utter rubbish: see above.

Scoff if you like, lads and make light of working dangerously if you must, but when you have seen someone kill themselves with electricity, you take absolutely NO chances. EVER.

 

[Spark123]

I don't think the factory where I work would allow me to switch off the big switch every time a fluorescent fitting went

 

[securespark]

As securespark works for a company, similar to myself we have set down procedures which we must work to - to ensure the circuit is effectively isolated.
It may be that if he can't secure the MCB or isolator that he must then take out the wires from the MCB so that if it is closed it won't energize the circuit being worked on.

Indeed you are right, 123.

We have incredibly strict procedures laid down: for our safety and that of our customers. We are assessed at least quarterly and if we fail to follow procedure to the letter we face immediate suspension from work, disciplinary action and quite possibly instant dismissal, if those failures are proven.

We are also subject to spot checks: assessors ring the bell while you're up a ladder changing a rose, for example.

There are also post-completion checks where assessors go round after you have left the property to go over your work with a fine-toothed comb.

 

[securespark]

I don't think the factory where I work would allow me to switch off the big switch every time a fluorescent fitting went

I appreciate that, but if you suspect borrowed neutrals, it's the only safe way.

OOI, how else do they expect you to achieve safe isolation?

 

[Spark123]

In an industrial environment where you have nasty stuff, acids and the likes is a bit of a different animal to a domestic.
Basically I now treat as live until I know it is dead, even after pulling the fuse. Split the live and neutral wires out and re-check.