Electricians Die

[John D v2.0]

I wonder what sort of "regular safety checks for electricians" they think should be carried out

Insulate all earthed metalwork?

Pure Genius, who told you that?

Thanks, It was a complete guess at a possible safety measures they could check. Honestly I've no idea what safety check they were suggesting would prevent death by electricians touching two metal objects with 240vac between them.

 

[mwatsonxx]

I am sure most in the trade have encountered isolators that fail to isolate, so without additional proper testing, im not sure an isolator achieves anything.

The BS states there must be a physical mechanical connection between the ON/OFF switch handle and the switch blades, but one very well known UK manufacturer designed a widowmaker, in that the mechanical connection relied on a square insulated section, but it was too soft, consequently after a few operations it would switch without moving the switch contacts.

But in those days we were properly trained to prevent our deaths. I was trained how to safely test for dead by removing covers, ie ignoring indications, and it has saved me from a face full of molten copper.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Thanks, It was a complete guess at a possible safety measures they could check. Honestly I've no idea what safety check they were suggesting would prevent death by electricians touching two metal objects with 240vac between them.

"It was a complete guess at a possible safety measures" areuavinalarf

 

[John D v2.0]

"It was a complete guess at a possible safety measures" areuavinalarf

well, since you have a good idea of what the plymouth herald were thingking of when they quoted "Mr Downey's family now hope to raise awareness of risks attached to the profession and the need for regular safety checks for electricians following the tragedy." maybe you can enlighten us rather than just farting across the thread

 

[mwatsonxx]

well, since you have a good idea of what the plymouth herald were thingking of when they quoted "Mr Downey's family now hope to raise awareness of risks attached to the profession and the need for regular safety checks for electricians following the tragedy." maybe you can enlighten us rather than just farting across the thread

Oh dear, perhaps Mr Downey shared your advice "It was a complete guess at a possible safety measures" and I have enlightened anyone thats interested in post No17.

 

[JohnW2]

Honestly I've no idea what safety check they were suggesting would prevent death by electricians touching two metal objects with 240vac between them.

I imagine that they were talking about 'checks' that an electrician should undertake to ensure that there was not going to be 240V (or 400V) between two metal objects that he/she was going to (or might) touch.

I fear the problem is that all electricians, and even most 'electricians', know jolly well that they should not work on live circuits, and that all of the electricians (and a fair number of the 'electricians') also know jolly well what precautions they should take and what tests ("for dead") they should undertake - but, for one reason or another, sometimes (or always!) fail to act in accordance with that knowledge. Unless some 'spying' (on their 'usual practices') was somehow undertaken, I therefore doubt that any 'system' would help much, since they would nearly all do and say 'the right things' when they knew they were being assessed!

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

fair enough, so you say testing for dead would have saved him assuming the isolator failed, I say removing the earthed metalwork would have saved him (although I was being completely tongue in cheek), both correct, no need to resort to bizarre sarcasm

 

[Doggit]

Sometimes, you're just tired or distracted, and then accidents happen. With the best will in the world, you can't stop life from happening.

 

[JohnW2]

I was trained how to safely test for dead by removing covers...

Are you suggesting that one should open up an isolator as a "test for dead", rather than measuring to see if any voltage is coming out of it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I think you are all labouring under a misapprehension.

It doesn't say there was an isolator but that it should have been isolated.

From the article:
"The health and safety inspector, specialising in Electrical and Control System Engineering, stated in his account that the cut-out fuse had not been disconnected and so was still live when Mr Downey was working.
This should have been isolated before work was completed on the consumer unit, the inquest heard."

 

[John D v2.0]

Sometimes, you're just tired or distracted, and then accidents happen. With the best will in the world, you can't stop life from happening.

Too true, there but for the grace of god go I, we're all lucky to be here

 

[JohnW2]

I think you are all labouring under a misapprehension. ... It doesn't say there was an isolator but that it should have been isolated.

I, for one, am not labouring under any misapprehension - like you, I read what the article actually said.

However, people have been making comments about isolators, and my responses have been to them.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Too true, there but for the grace of god go I, we're all lucky to be here

Very true, but this probably needs to be put into perspective. Nearly all electricians drive, and they are far more likely to suffer serious harm or death as a result of 'accidents' (whether due to tiredness, distraction, human error or whatever) related to their driving than 'accidents' which result in electric shock.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Poor fellas. Both involving high current supplies.

Irrelevant.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But why oh why was Mr Downey working live?

Why?

Because he was a tw@.

From reading the report about how he was found, it sounds like he was changing a CU with the tails still live.