SQUIRELLS HAVE EATEN CABLES!

[JohnnyG]

How do you know it was a squizzer?
Might've been a rabid hamster or some nice mice.

 

[OwainDIYer]

If the church will not agree to you locking off the relevant parts of the installation (or the installation as a whole) then explain that you have to report the dangerous installation to the local DNO. Then do it.

For your own safety, let alone anyone else's, you can't work in the premises in their current condition. And if they get someone else in, that person may not be as careful - or lucky - and find themselves electrocuted.

 

[AndyPRK]

put a warning sticker on the entrance to where the bare cables are.

A practical solution

 

[sdavies21216]

put a warning sticker on the entrance to where the bare cables are.

A practical solution

good idea, also there wouldn't be any harm in the OP taking photos as well and sending them to the comittee, as has been said on this topic, a photo or two is more or less guaranteed to bring their attention to the problem.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My suggestion of informing the insurers was not designed to be gratuitous mischief-making.

Having a renewal refused might make the bozos sit up and take notice.

 

[SimonH2]

It is indeed very dangerous, the last time I was in a church roof I could hear "pop, pop, pop" when I looked a bit closer I found a weasel.

Was it weaselly recognisable?

It was probably Stoatily different

My suggestion of informing the insurers was not designed to be gratuitous mischief-making.

Having a renewal refused might make the bozos sit up and take notice.

I've an idea the church (or at least the CoE) self insure.


But back to the OPs problem, I can see his dilemma - he doesn't want to be seen as a troublemaker and lock himself out from potentially lucrative work. On the other hand, there are some customers you are better off without.

I'd go along with the previous suggestions - make it clear on your paperwork that you consider the installation dangerous and requiring immediate attention by a qualified electrician, and send a letter by recorded delivery so you have proof it was received. That's the first step since if the brown stuff does start flying then you have the defence that you notified the customer and they've failed to deal with it.
Pointing out to each member of the managing committee that they could be personally charged with manslaughter if they fail to deal with the problem is likely to wake them up. I think it's been shown many times that once you make someone personally liable then they tend to take more notice of problems.

Oh yes, and put a notice on the entry to the loft - it could save someone's life. I recall seeing a poster in a customer's office a while ago, which was a poem with the recurring line of "I could have saved a life that day" - I urge people not to be able to say that, it's not a nice place to be.
Ah, here's one copy.

 

[DeadJoe]

Question: Are Squirrels really well insulated, or are they just hard bastards?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've an idea the church (or at least the CoE) self insure.

Including public and employer liability?

 

[SimonH2]

I've an idea the church (or at least the CoE) self insure.

Including public and employer liability?

Dunno, but it's not impossible. Lets face it, you are talking about a very large organisation, with a lot of investments - it's a HUGE business. As I say, I don't know, but I have a feeling I've come across it before ...

There are plenty of organisations that self insure for their vehicles - Royal Mail is one.

All an insurance company does is assess the risks, and charge enough to make a profit on average given those risks. If you have enough resources to cover the potential claims, you can cover those same risks yourself without paying a profit margin to the insurance company. If your estate is very large, then you are unlikely to lose out - and highly likely to gain.

But as you hint, this does require significant capital to back up the risk. It is of course possible to just insure outside for the largest claims - you'll pay a significant premium, but it may well still be less than covering all the smaller risks.

FYI in case you weren't aware. A lot of insurance ends up aggregated and laid off against syndicates in places like Lloyds in London. There people with some considerable personal wealth can buy risk in return for a premium. The upside is that they can buy a certain amount of risk without actually having to pay out the money up front (so they get both the premiums and the return from wherever the money is actually invested). The downside is that if there is a massive claim, there are no limits to their liability - so if something really bad happens then their losses can be huge.

 

[SDMCF]

I've an idea the church (or at least the CoE) self insure.

Including public and employer liability?

Dunno, but it's not impossible.

The Ecclesiastical Insurance Company specialises in this area, with some policies aimed specifically at Anglican churches. I assume they must have customers or they wouldn't stay in business.
The only reason I know about them is that, decades ago, they offered me a job which I didn't take. I know nothing else about them.

 

[75pete]

We had 5 living in two nests in our garden. I had to shoot them in the end to put a stop to the damage.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What did they taste like?

 

[JohnD]

squirrels are not good to eat as they carry a Prion disease which attacks the brain. Led to a lot of CJD in certain parts of Kentucky.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How could they tell?

 

[1john]

I have seen that Hugh Fearnley chap BBQing them before on the back of an old Landy Defender. He seemed to enjoy them although I have also seen him eating deep fried flowers in a feild!