the law with 3 phase & the workplace

[Cessle]

Hello, right i have a reasonable knowledge of electrics but i need some advice as we are getting an upstairs put into our workshop at work and we have a 3 phase supply which we presume is not currently live and from what i can see (from pearing over the top of the shelving units we have in front of the CU) the 3 phase goes into a metal cabinet but does not appear to be a standard CU or distribution board as i can open the door on it but only 6 inchs or so and can not see much and i am wondering how easy and cheap is it for me to test it without risking killing my self and also how easy it would be for either me to remove it if it does not infringe the law if it is no longer live (once i have traced the cables through the wall to the workshop next door to us) or if it will need to be removed by an electrician when we have the upstairs put in and wired in.

If needs be i will try to move these 2 shelving units in the corner and get a better look and try to get a photo but unfortunately i would not beable to get the photo till Wednesday

Cheers

Simon

 

[ColJack]

firstly, never asume a supply is dead.. ALWAYS test it..

secondly, since you have to ask how, then it's probably best that you leave it to the electrician..

thirdly, again, if you have to ask how easy it is to remove it then it's DEFINITELY best left to an electrician who knows what they are doing ( an industrial sparky is preferable since they deal with 3 phase every day..)

removing the shelves and getting a picture is definitely a good idea.. do it...

we'll wait until wednesday with bated breath...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

we presume is not currently live

That's an easy way to die..

i am wondering how easy and cheap is it for me to test it without risking killing my self

Sorry - but if you have to ask that question your knowledge of electrics is nowhere near enough for you to start poking around inside a 3-phase distribution board to see if it's live...

and also how easy it would be for either me to remove it if it does not infringe the law if it is no longer live (once i have traced the cables through the wall to the workshop next door to us) or if it will need to be removed by an electrician when we have the upstairs put in and wired in.

If it has an incoming supply, live or not, then it may contain equipment which is not yours to fiddle with.

And although H&S legislation, including the EAWR, do not actually define competence, I'd hate to be in your shoes defending myself against charges of not being competent if something went t*ts up...

You should also check out your company's disciplinary procedures, because if you put the directors in a position of having broken the law by allowing you to fiddle with this, you might need to know them...

 

[Cessle]

In reply to ColJack

1 - I would always test anyway, as we do not pay for a 3 phase supply BUT the wood workers next door do have one and so do the car mechnics the other way

2 - I am more than capable of testing where there is already exposed contacts ect, i am not 100% sure on the best practice on how to test without exposing the the bare copper underneath, but from what i know i take it i need a clamp meter

3 - I only ask as i may be lucky and discover that when i find that the cable is already cut the other side of the wall and not connected to anything but like i say we need to get a sparky in anyway to wire upstaires and so would proably leave it to him anyway

4 - I will do my best as that is my day off

and in reply to ban all sheds

1 - I know but again i dont take unncesicery risks

2 - see number 3 above

3 - Until i go the other side of the wall i do not know what there is and where if at all it is connected to as there is no meter in our workshop

4 - There are 3 of us at my workplace as we are only a small landscaping & tree surgry company but even so that still dosnt stop me from being prosecuted if like you say it goes bad

 

[ColJack]

clamp meter will be of absolutely no use if you don't have a load on the circuit.. it shows current flow not voltage.. just ust a volt meter and a lot of caution.. ( rubber gloves, goggles, up to date will.... etc.. ) if you are not 100% confident in your ability to test voltage without sticking your hands all over it..

since it's an industrial unit then it stands to reason that each unit will have a 3 phase supply and may just be left at the cutout with no meter installed if you don't use 3 phase..

 

[Cessle]

Cheers for the heads up and will leave the checking if its live to the professionals as i have a feeling that my family & my boss will not be happy if i kill my self just for trying to test it but like i said above will get a photo and do a cable hunt on wednesday

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i have a feeling that my family & my boss will not be happy if i kill my self just for trying to test it

I commend to you the Bomb Disposal sketch by Bob Newhart:

"Listen, Willard, if this all goes wrong it's me they're going to want to talk to, not you..."