Picture of the week!™

[RF Lighting]

Well folks, it's that time of the week again.

I spotted this a while ago.

It is a plug supplying a plumbers extention lead. The socket is an old type MK which only requires L&N pins to operate the shutter.

 

[333rocky333]

What does the plumber do when he goes to a modern house.

How old is that socket.
I thought you always had to push the earth down on the old mk.

 

[RF Lighting]

I think it had only got broken on that job.

Some old MK sockets had a shutter on L&N which kind of rotated out of the way a bit if both pins weht in at the same time, rather than the conventional design of the earth pin operating the shutter.

I'd guess at the socket being circa 1970

 

[plugwash]

How old is that socket.
I thought you always had to push the earth down on the old mk.

Really old MK stuff uses the earth pin in the conventional way. Then they moved to stuff that used certain characteristics of the live and neutral pins. Presumablly they thought this was safer, unfortunately it did allow use with plugs that had the earth pin missing.

Then I belive they moved to the current design which afaict it is very difficult to get anything other than a proper british 3 pin plug into.

 

[333rocky333]

Then they moved to stuff that used certain characteristics of the live and neutral pins. Presumablly they thought this was safer, unfortunately it did allow use with plugs that had the earth pin missing.

I remember the early logic range with the oval mk logo on the front.
This changed to a sguare logo,You could date an instalation by the type of logo, it then changed to the new K logic range

I recall The L and N holes had two dimples on them and had to be pushed in simultaneously.
The two metal sides in the earth pin sometimes closed up, preventing the plug fitting also.

 

[FourFootMedia]

Then I belive they moved to the current design which afaict it is very difficult to get anything other than a proper british 3 pin plug into.

The guys at my work don't seem to have a problem sticking dodgy 2 pin european plugs into them they just push something into the earth (usually the clip off a pen) to open the shutters.

 

[Spark123]

You should maybe remind the boys at work and your empoyer of their legal duties under the health and safety at work act, electricity at work regulations and PUWER to name a few.

 

[FourFootMedia]

I've already brought it up with them a few times (only been working there just over a month), but some of it is company supplied equipment so they're obviously not bothered... Their next 'elf and safety inspection / electrical testing is due in October, then they'll probably do something about it.

 

[mattysupra]

come on guys, this a tip across most trades when the plug gets broken! ( always seems to be the earth pin) What we do is stick a screw driver in the earth hole and then slip the plug in after!

Sometimes when the plug is totally knackered, we navagate the bare wires straight in the holes and when the screw driver is removed from the earth hole it clamps the L+N in place

I dont do this of course, but i have seen this done many times

 

[NewOrder]

The strange thing is I regconsise that socket, he dosn't happen to live in Urmston does he? I did a job a few weeks back where I had to plug stuff into really really dodgy MK sockets, he was plumber too .

I am sure being from Leeds it is a completly different job though, and my customer isnsisted that his 1967 installation was safe, despite it taking me a good few goes to plug the router into the skirton mounted socket .

 

[Spark123]

I've already brought it up with them a few times (only been working there just over a month), but some of it is company supplied equipment so they're obviously not bothered... Their next 'elf and safety inspection / electrical testing is due in October, then they'll probably do something about it.

Your employer has a duty under PUWER to provide you with suitable equipment and ensure it safe and maintained, short guide to it here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf .
Nobody should be engaged in any electrical work unless they are competent to prevent danger or injury or under the supervision of such a person (EAWR).
It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work (HASWA).