Cable entry hole on Service Head

MaintenanceSpark · Aug 9, 2023

Hi guys,

I'm shadowing the electrician who is doing our EICR's and after visually inspecting the service cable and service head, I noticed a bit of blue tape dangling on the side of the service head (it's up high and behind a partitioned wall, we access it through a hatch off of steps). I couldn't get my head around to see what it was meant to be covering so I took some photos and I discovered what I think to be a cable entry hole?

The tape that was dangling on the side had a circular piece of cardboard stuck to it, which should've been covering the hole I guess.

Will the DNO do anything about this? Will they just tell us to stick the cardboard back on?

Sorry for the poor quality photos, like I said, it's in an awkward position and I really didn't want to drop my phone down the void.

DPG · Aug 9, 2023

That definitely wants blanking off properly. Don't just stick the cardboard back on!

MaintenanceSpark · Aug 9, 2023

DPG said:
That definitely wants blanking off properly. Don't just stick the cardboard back on!

I'll definitely be contacting the DNO in the morning.

It's never been picked up on before and our last EICR was in 2020. We had our meter changed in early 2022 as well.

davesparks · Aug 9, 2023

Yes that is a cable entry hole that would have had a wooden blanking piece in it originally.

Yes the DNO should fix that, but just be aware that if there is restricted access they will likely need whatever wall/ceiling is blocking access to be removed so they can work on it. Unless they deem it to be particularly dangerous when they may make their own access arrangements.

MaintenanceSpark · Aug 10, 2023

davesparks said:
Yes that is a cable entry hole that would have had a wooden blanking piece in it originally.

Yes the DNO should fix that, but just be aware that if there is restricted access they will likely need whatever wall/ceiling is blocking access to be removed so they can work on it. Unless they deem it to be particularly dangerous when they may make their own access arrangements.

I wonder if the original wooden blanking piece fell down the void and that’s why cardboard and tape have been used.

I was thinking about the restricted access on the way to work this morning. That’s going to be a fun conversation with the director. It‘s our showroom with kitchen units and worktops in front of the partitioned wall. This was all built way before my time.

davesparks · Aug 10, 2023

Obviously the correct thing to do is get the DNO to fix it.

But a lot of hassle could probably be avoided with a pvc conduit box lid and some glue.

MaintenanceSpark · Aug 10, 2023

davesparks said:
Obviously the correct thing to do is get the DNO to fix it.

But a lot of hassle could probably be avoided with a pvc conduit box lid and some glue.

The DNO have been and luckily the DNO Engineer was a great guy who didn’t mind working through the hatch.

My director has also instructed me to triple the size of the hatch all the way down to the upstands of the kitchen worktop for any further works in the future as we have a DB there and also a 100A Fuse Switch which feeds another DB in the Factory.

Many thanks.

DPG · Aug 10, 2023

TraineeMaintenanceSpark said:
The DNO have been and luckily the DNO Engineer was a great guy who didn’t mind working through the hatch.

My director has also instructed me to triple the size of the hatch all the way down to the upstands of the kitchen worktop for any further works in the future as we have a DB there and also a 100A Fuse Switch which feeds another DB in the Factory.

Many thanks.

Didn't he any anything about the missing blanking plug?