Don't work live!

[Piratepete]

Hi Guys

Got a call the other day. Electrician in hospital. No power. Please help.

He was working on a 8 way 3 phase board and attempted to insert a single phase MCB without turning off the power first (trying to be helpful). Unfortunately he mispositioned the MCB and managed to short 2 phases with the securing screw. The resulting arc destroyed all the MCBs on that side and all of the busbar MCB tags bar one (11 of them) before blowing a 200 Amp supply fuse. The electrician suffered severe burns to his arms. His eyes were saved by his glasses.
Lesson learnt, I hope!

Pete

 

[hasel5]

They need to think again then about working for this banks

Hope he's ok. As Pete says but for the grace of god. I regularly have to work live. I mainly work in banks now and my company can get fined for interuption to power. It's always in the back of your mind is today the day I make a mistake. We're only human after all..

 

[Nolnoc]

They need to think again then about working for this banks

Couldn't agree more. But it's a 5 million per year contract.

 

[hasel5]

is a life worth 5 mill

 

[Marvo]

I think the theory would be they charge an appropriate price so they can employ suitably qualified and experienced guys and provide them with the training and equipment necessary for live working should it be necessary.

 

[Nolnoc]

is a life worth 5 mill

No its not. But these big companies don't think like that. The real world is somewhat different than the ideal one. Some times you bite your lips and get on with it.

 

[hasel5]

All I can say then is be safe until you can find a proper company to work for

 

[Nolnoc]

I think the theory would be they charge an appropriate price so they can employ suitably qualified and experienced guys and provide them with the training and equipment necessary for live working should it be necessary.

In fairness all the guys are top notch(better tradesmen than me)All at least 20 years in the trade. But we are only human. The phone could ring and that simple distraction could do harm.

 

[Nolnoc]

All I can say then is be safe until you can find a proper company to work for

Exactly my thoughts. But they are a mighty big company.
Hope you get the pun.............

 

[Swcfisher]

In fairness all the guys are top notch(better tradesmen than me)All at least 20 years in the trade. But we are only human. The phone could ring and that simple distraction could do harm.

all the banks I've done work in have had merlin isobar boards although still live the chances of a competent person coming to harm are low

 

[hasel5]

Got the pun and and worked for them years ago and the H&S was applying then

 

[Adam W]

is a life worth 5 mill

I expect the stock answer should be "you can't put a value on life", but in reality companies can. To a big faceless company it's employees are just numbers on a spreadsheet - the company bosses don't care about the welfare of it's employees or their families, they just do what they have to do to stay within the law and make as much money as possible.

A quick internet search reveals this article which confirms that:
Family of electrocuted lift engineer get £300,000 payout | London | News | London Evening Standard

Given the guy was 54, ie he had at least 10 years of work left, assuming he was on £30k, the payout the family got barely covers loss of earnings.

 

[TJ Anderson]

Well, you better start taking Mitie good care of what you do then!!

 

[hasel5]

TBH thought they would of learnt there lesson as we had a guy when working there shorted 2 phases out and had severe burns and they were prosecuted for it.

Once Bitten ?

 

[TJ Anderson]

First rule of being an AP NEVER issue 2 permits to work on the same system, at least it was when the accident occured

Absolutely, never issue 2 permits. I am an AP as you know. Once I've done my switching schedules and PTW that is it. Any changes after work has commenced and I would stop the job. I know we get pressured, but I just won't do anything outside the rules with AP work.

 

[Nolnoc]

I think we all take chances no matter what we do. I know my biggest fail is I'm too lazy to go to the van and get a bigger (heavier) ladder. I'll chance the wee fibre one. Sometimes I won't change my footwear either. I know I should and I know if something happens I'll be told you were supplied the correct gear and attended tool box talks.

A colleague of mine broke both his wrists one day and the only worry the company had ( another big multi) was who were they going to get to replace him. Not a damn was given about him or his wife who had to literally wipe hi a** .