DIY lamp with metal bulb holder - is it safe?

[fridaystreet]

Hi,

I'll start by saying I'm not an electrician (I'm more of a mechanic), but I like to have a go at wiring on occasion. I'm wanting to make a one-off table lamp from an old defunct machine I have, so I purchased some 3 core cable, a UK plug with fuse, an E27 bulb and a 'vintage look' metal bulb holder with switch and plan to mount the assembly on the machine and look to sell it on. I know someone local who can do PAT testing for me.

Here is the item I purchased :

Pardon our interruption...

On inspection it seems that there is no earth connection in the bulb holder, but instead they have opted to place a piece of cardboard in between the holder and the casing as an insulator. My question is, is this safe to use? I don't really like the thought of some flimsy cardboard being the only protection. They have listed this as a UK fitting, so I just assumed it would be suitable for a 3 core cable.

Any advice on this is welcome.
Thanks

 

[Lucien Nunes]

With which standards (e.g. BS EN IEC 60238:2018) does the lampholder claim compliance? Is it correcly marked to indicate compliance? What insulation class and temperature rating does it claim to be? I agree that there are constructional features that set alarm bells ringing, but let's hear what the lampholder itself has to say first.

As the 'manufacturer' of the finished lamp, you are responsible for ensuring that the parts meet the relevant standards and they are correctly assembled. PAT procedures are used to discover faulty and degraded appliances in use; they are not the method by which makers test their products before sale. E.g. in a PAT test one checks that the cable clamp is not loose or broken, but it's the manufacturer who has to do the pull-out force tests etc.