Call-out Fiasco

[securespark]

Got called out today to an emergency. No power, RCD incomer gone down, & will not reset, even with all load disconnected. Customer has very ill husband.

Cannot replace it without DNO de-energisation.

Customer calls electricity supplier. They deny supplying the customer. Finally after lengthy second call, they admit supplying electricity to customer.

Customer explains problem.

Supplier says that is not an emergency and that they can call in 10 days time.

Tells customer to take husband to hospital if ill.

I ring them & ask why they can't de-energise soon as it is emergency. Gets exscuse about floods & not being able to find the number to get through to DNO. Then she says there are no free engineers. I offer for our company to pay for de-energisation. Long pause. Then I'm told it would make no difference.

It's not good customer service, I am told, but the supplier cannot get anyone out today.

I give up and ring the DNO direct. I explain the situation. 2 hours later, the supply is de-energised.

 

[Adam_151]

You have more patience than I do, Simon

 

[securespark]

Well, not really! I have very little patience with things like this myself, but, as the benefit was for my customer, I persevered. Was absolutely gob-smacked that there is no (or seems to be no) procedures in place to help vulnerable customers in this situation.

 

[Adam_151]

I reckon some people would have told them to shove it, pulled the fuse, fixed it and dealt with any fall out later on (would be bad PR to pursue it anyway )

But I can't hold it against you that you went through the proper channels, in just the same way that no one can hold it against me that I stick to the speed limits on the road, regardless of if its safe to go faster or not (on account that I do not wish to have a speeding ticket!), just saying that I'm not sure I'd have done the same.

just purely OOI, what would you have done if there was an arcing and crackling sound comming from the failed RCD?

 

[securespark]

Our company policy is very strict. We are not allowed to pull main fuses unless on the grounds of health & safety. IE

If there was a fire risk.

So, yes, if the RCD were going up in smoke, I could pull it. But even then, the DNO could argue that all that needed to be done was to isolate the CU.

Unless of course, it were actually in flames!

 

[Adam_151]

So, yes, if the RCD were going up in smoke, I could pull it. But even then, the DNO could argue that all that needed to be done was to isolate the CU.

I've heard of at least one case where the main switch overheated from a high resistance connection and melted inside and started arcing internally (known because using the MCBs to cut the load apparently didn't improve the situation). IIRC the DNO pen pushers did try and tell him he shouldn't have touched the fuse, but the guy who actually came out was sound (no idea which DNO it was though)

[old story, a few years old paraphrased from the IEE forums, no idea of original poster]

 

[Softus]

OOI, which law says that the DNO fuse mustn't be touched/pulled by anyone other than a DNO operative?

 

[Adam_151]

OOI, which law says that the DNO fuse mustn't be touched/pulled by anyone other than a DNO operative?

Nothing directly AFAIK, but perhaps their terms and have something, and usually you have to break a wire seal and they sometimes claim thats criminal damage. And of course its interferring with someone else property, whatever law thats under, Other than that, perhaps electricity at work regs requiring someone to be competant, becuase competant to pull the fuse could be different to competant to work on the installation... like recognising the dangers in older DNO equipment, etc. Also they may try and use it as 'evidence' of theft of electricty.

In the real world not a lot happens, generally pretty hard to prove who cut the seal off (or whether or not it was actually sealed in the first place!)

 

[Softus]

Hmm. I could understand the terms of the supply 'contract' stipulating certains conditions, like not fiddling around with a calibrated meter, and not stealing electricity, but a contractor isn't the subscriber...

As far as criminal damage goes, I suppose that might stick if a DNO was pedantic enough

I just have a hunch that there must be legislation that covers this, because cutting the seal is so frowned upon - no smoke without fire.

 

[Lectrician]

My DNO (or atleast our local office) are happy with us breaking seals aslong we send in a Notice Of Completion cert to them, even if this only contains the address of site - They will then attend and reseal. They get used to seeing the few dozen sparks names on the certs who do this, and are more than happy for it to be done this way.

Lucky for us I suppose.

I would have been in and out of there in minutes......as long as I had an RCD in stock........

 

[Roo]

Been getting a lot of jobs lately where the office have told the customer I can do something then when I get there I have to say sorry.

Had a bloke on friday who was expecting his cutout to be moved while I changed him from a prepay meter, as I'm only metering I can't move cutouts (not authorized to work live).

He phoned his supplier up while I was there, the advisor asked to speak to me and asked why I couldn't do it?

Seems to be a lot of new not very knowledgable advisors lately.

As for your job securespark, as far as I'm aware there's always a shift electrician on call.

 

[securespark]

It seemed to a case of "I really can't be ar*ed" on the part of the electricity supplier. They gave me two "reasons" why they couldn't get someone out at the weekend. And when you hear "If I could get someone to you, I would", you smell a large rodent.

But when I went to the DNO, they were very helpful, despite the fact that initially they were reluctant. The request for de-energise must go through the supplier. We're not supposed to go to the DNO direct.

Anyhow it's sorted, and the supplier has made themselves look like incompetent fools...

 

[JohnD]

OOI, which law says that the DNO fuse mustn't be touched/pulled by anyone other than a DNO operative?

It might be in the Electricity Act. I haven't looked at it for a while, and when I did, I was looking up particlar parts, not studying the whole thing.

p.s. start here
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890029_en_2.htm

 

[ebee]

In the good old days before THATCHER changed it you could talk to the regional board. OK they could be sods at times but you could speak to an inspector etc and get some sense. Now you talk to someone who talks to them, trouble is your someone knows nowt. It`s a shambles

 

[Roo]

It seemed to a case of "I really can't be ar*ed" on the part of the electricity supplier. They gave me two "reasons" why they couldn't get someone out at the weekend. And when you hear "If I could get someone to you, I would", you smell a large rodent.

I don't work shifts myself but I'm sure theres always somebody our side (DNO) glad of a bit of overtime for a call out at the weekend.

I would be

Have been asked (while I've been working) before now to call ASAP to a customer who was disabled and having trouble with summit or other, and despite being no where near the job and rushed off my feet I still said I would.

Turned out I didn't need to in the end, but I always try and help as I'm sure my colleagues do.

Problem I think is suppliers really don't give a f*** cos they probably have to pay to get us out, and I know they don't talk to DNO's properly.

I've got 2 jobs tomorrow to confirm a certain meter is on site, wouldn't mind as there easy jobs but I've been to them both twice to confirm the details so somethings going wrong, plus I'm not a meter reader