Am I being over picky or is this just rough?

[Bellendian]

Got a call from a mate today. All power out. Seems cutout fuse blown, they just had a new hot tub put in.
Opened meter box to find this. I think it's complete arse on many levels, but DNO chap came out and replaced fuse without any whinging. I was quite surprised, but I guess it's a Sunday!

 

[James]

Connecting (earthing) the armouring is sooo over rated these days anyway...

just peel back the outer sheath for a few metres as it passes underground and it will double up as an earth rod????
these regs. are just for know it all's anyway, whats the problem it works doesn't it!!?

 

[Bellendian]

The whole job was done by a relatively large company. Not sure who did the wiring.
It's a good 15to20m run from meter to board supplying spa. No cert yet but it's only been in a few days.
3 core swa, grey core taped g/y, armour just taped up at supply end. Properly glanded at dis board end, so will be earthed, but I always prefer to earth at source end. Seems more robust in the event of a cable strike.
Should definitely be protected by a 63A switch fuse in my opinion.

 

[JK-Electrical]

Connecting (earthing) the armouring is sooo over rated these days anyway...

Aye ..... it just adds time and expense to the job. Only pedantic, smart-arsed, jobsworth, professional electricians with lots of time to waste would ever bother to earth the armour.

 

[EricMark]

The big question is, if you find some thing which you feel is not safe, what do you do?

The example given was the oil spill, if you see an oil spill which could be dangerous you must do some thing, it could be giving your boss a report in writing, even if on back of smoke packet. Or you could clean it up your self.

Verbal is not good enough, text message is OK, of course if questioned you say sorry did not see the oil, then your OK, but if you say yes I saw it, so I told my boss verbally your up the creak.

So first question is it a danger? if it just does not comply that's not a problem, but if it's dangerous it is, so if you consider it dangerous you must either correct it, or report it in writing.

Writing on a forum will not really count, it would need reporting to your boss, the client, or DNO in other words some one who could correct it. Ringing up the contractor who did the work and saying have you seen what your lads have done will not really cut it.

So big question is it simply bad workmanship? or is it dangerous? The easy answer is just bad workmanship, that way your not obliged to report it in writing. If however you say it's dangerous, then you have admitted by using forum you were aware, so if anyone is injured you could end up in court.

I do think from the pictures just poor workmanship, seems to have an earth and that earth may be connected to the SWA at the other end, where we hope there is an overload.

I knew a firm erecting cranes were rough, I was asked to look at a fault, I said certainly, however if I find it does not comply I can't ignore what I find, I will lock it off, and I was told never mind, we will get some one else. Both he and I knew likely I would condemn it and lock it off.

Domestic however is a bigger problem, your not permitted to make a home uninhabitable without finding alternative accommodation for occupants, nothing about who must pay, but you can't simply say that's dangerous, lock it off and walk away.

So lock off supply to shower, where there is also a bath, not a problem, but in this case only way to isolate is to draw DNO fuse, which we are not normally authorised to do, but British law says doing some thing illegal it permitted if by doing it you are preventing a greater crime, like blocking road to stop bank robber, so if dangerous you could draw the DNO fuse with of course the correct PPE.

But this is rather a drastic measure, and I don't think required here, but then one is saying it's not dangerous, can't have it both ways, either not dangerous and you can walk away, or is dangerous you must draw fuse after getting suitable PPE in real terms you would phone DNO and stay there on guard until they arrived.

So which is it?

 

[EricMark]

PS since on the back panel I think DNO are responsible for anything on that panel?

 

[Lister1987]

The big question is, if you find some thing which you feel is not safe, what do you do?

Domestic however is a bigger problem, your not permitted to make a home uninhabitable without finding alternative accommodation for occupants, nothing about who must pay, but you can't simply say that's dangerous, lock it off and walk away.

What legislation is that? I would lock off and bugger off; I'd argue preventing injury or death trump's inconvenience of no power..

 

[DPG]

PS since on the back panel I think DNO are responsible for anything on that panel?

DNO will take no responsibility for something like that, whether it's on the backboard or not.

 

[richy3333]

I agree with @DPG DNO are not responsible for stuff like this in the box.

SWA has no short circuit of overload protection. I doubt there’s coordination with main fuse, which is fuse of last resort in any event.

 

[EricMark]

What legislation is that? I would lock off and bugger off; I'd argue preventing injury or death trump's inconvenience of no power..

The HSE are quite strong insisting all in writing, I have had it, radio call **** **** **** unit 5, all I got was unit 5 so off I went to unit 5, talked to supervisor and he said I have not called you, so returned with the thought if important they will call again.

Well it seems an extension lead had been damaged, some one did get a shock, so standard procedure sent to hospital, standard procedure HSE informed, they arrived, and looked through records, no report of damage, so then questioned work force, and one came forward with I saw the damage and I told the electrician, first question was how, answer on radio, next question did you complete a report sheet, answer no, result she was fined.

As to housing acts and not leaving a home uninhabitable not sure of the law, think it was designed to stop landlords using a fault as an excuse to evict, but does not matter if fireman, gasman, electrician or any other tradesman, if you make the house uninhabitable you have to find some alternative accommodation, be it phone council social services, or local hotel, or just be told by the occupants it's OK I can go to mothers. But what you can't do is turn off the water and say tough, or electric or gas if they are needed to make it inhabitable.

I am sure at some point we all have, problem with cooker supply, and owner says it's OK I can get a take away tonight, but we shouldn't, neither should we break the speed limit, but many do.

I have however been called to a home where the electrician has said sorry I must go, and run off without completing the job, his wife worked in a pub, and it was his duty to look after the baby was his excuse. Clearly there will be a point where we all have to say, sorry can't fix it tonight, but then we need to find the alternative accommodation.

But I know I have worked until well past midnight when it all went wrong, that's part of the job, can't simply say tough.