Friend got an electrical shock at work!! help!!!

[Jake1992]

Hi, need some help.
Friend of mine switch a switched (metal) and she got an electric shock. Her work are pushing it aside but she has found a report(paperwork) saying "it had no earth wire and it is dangerous. No earth, doesnt meet regs"

Apparently the lights she wanted to turn on never worked anyway.

Where does she stand with work? They are pushing the matter aside, and she doesnt know what to do.

Please if you can, quote the regs and reg numbers so i can tell her where she stands.

Cheers .
Jake

 

[Marvo]

What has she got in mind? Does she want them to repair it to prevent future repeat problems? Is she after an apology? Does she want them to cover medical expenses or pay her for time off work or is she thinking about compensation?

 

[Jake1992]

Anything. Her work isnt doing nothing about the matter, thwy have pushed the problem to one side. She wants to talk to her boss, and she dont want to go into a meeting not knowing where she stands. Is there compensation for an electric shock on an unsafe system?

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Actually we need much more information on the nature of the workplace and the employer.

For example, if this was a large company office, there would be a health and safety officer in place that would be the first port of call.

In fact, any anyone employing over 5 people should have a health and safety policy in place, along with accident records that legally have to be filled in. Has she filled in the accident book? If not, then the H&S regulations have been breached.

Was there sufficient signage in place to warn of the the dangerous circuit? Why, in fact was it not isolated?

As I said, much more information needed.

 

[Sintra]

There is nowhere near enough information in your original post to be able to say what's wrong or even if there is something wrong.

It could be a simple case of a build up of static discharging through the switch. As for not having an earth for all we know it could be a metallic containment system providing the cpc. You also state that the lights don't work so the circuit might even be disconnected.

 

[Marvo]

Anything. Her work isnt doing nothing about the matter, thwy have pushed the problem to one side. She wants to talk to her boss, and she dont want to go into a meeting not knowing where she stands. Is there compensation for an electric shock on an unsafe system?

Compensation is a broad term, what happened to her that she might be compensated for? I assume due to the fact she wants a meeting with the boss she wasn't killed outright, was she injured? Did she need medical treatment, was there time off work for recovery?

 

[micknew]

Anything. Her work isnt doing nothing about the matter, thwy have pushed the problem to one side. She wants to talk to her boss, and she dont want to go into a meeting not knowing where she stands. Is there compensation for an electric shock on an unsafe system?

So she's after compensation, aren't they all?
It could have been a static electricity shock, most likely.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Anything. Her work isnt doing nothing about the matter, thwy have pushed the problem to one side. She wants to talk to her boss, and she dont want to go into a meeting not knowing where she stands. Is there compensation for an electric shock on an unsafe system?

If her work isn't doing anything about the matter then that is VERY serious. You mention'meetings' which suggests an office based scenario, which in turn implies a large number of employees, so my original post is furthered.

Her first port of call is the company's designated H&S officer, and the accident book. All correspondence MUST BE WRITTEN.

ALL CORRESPONDENCE MUST BE WRITTEN! I can't stress this strongly enough if a claim is to be made, or in the WORST case scenario, she is forced to defend herself at a court of unfair dismissal for causing a fuss.

Is this for real, or a wind up?

 

[Jake1992]

Actually we need much more information on the nature of the workplace and the employer.

For example, if this was a large company office, there would be a health and safety officer in place that would be the first port of call.

In fact, any anyone employing over 5 people should have a health and safety policy in place, along with accident records that legally have to be filled in. Has she filled in the accident book? If not, then the H&S regulations have been breached.

Was there sufficient signage in place to warn of the the dangerous circuit? Why, in fact was it not isolated?

As I said, much more information needed.

Its in a spar shop, there is more than 5 people, there was no sign near the circuit(switch), no it wasnt isolated,

The switch is surface in conduit. But the paperwork filled by the electrician stated its dangerous with no earth and dont meet regs?

 

[VoltzElectrical]

For the record, I'm with the static brigade, based on the information provided.

 

[Marvo]

You still haven't told us if or how badly she was injured

 

[Jake1992]

For the record, I'm with the static brigade, based on the information provided.

Does static make a very loud buzz?

 

[Jake1992]

You still haven't told us if or how badly she was injured

Shes not injured, she mainly ****ed off with work not soing nothing about it?

 

[netblindpaul]

Surface wired, steel conduit, my bets are that the containment is the cpc, & the "spark" who has written the report that it is not earthed, has never seen it and does not understand it.
So I'm with the static shock brigade too, which if true pretty much proves it IS earthed!

 

[micknew]

You still haven't told us if or how badly she was injured

Probably not injured.
Every report of shock from a switch I've investigated was due to static.