Plumbers replacing electric showers

[KevinS]

Hi,
ive been tasked with writing a 'standard operation sheet' for plumbers to replace electric showers safely.

at the moment they are replacing showers with no test gear, then the electrician is following behind doing a Zs

my concern is; they turn it off at the dp switch and remove the shower, I am not happy that it is dead when they turn if off as they have no method of checking. There may be a fault on the dp switch and they would not know

is this an acceptable procedure
remove cover of shower.
turn shower on by double pole switch,
VOLTSTICK (yes I know) will indicate,
if volt stick does NOT indicate, stop and wait for advice off an electrician
turn off by dp switch, VOLTSTICK will stop indicating,
if VOLTSTICK does not stop indicating, stop and wait for electrician
switch breaker off at board and proceed

i know what you are going to say, but the company won't pay for test gear for 20+ plumbers, hence the VOLTSTICK idea.

is this classed as safe enough, it's safer than what's happening now,
cheers

 

[Geordie Spark]

Or why don't they just switch the breaker off, rather than at the isolator, if in doubt get an electrician in, but even a voltage tester as mentioned before would be better than a volt stick alone. They would need a proving unit to prove the volt stick is working correctly.

I agree, but I think I would be locking it off as well - just to be a bit safer.

As for our Friend the OP having to write this "Standard Operations Sheet", I think I would politely decline to do this UNLESS the company instructs me in writing and adds that in the event of an accident I will in no way be blamed for it and have it signed by the boss of the company. Even then, I wouldn't be entirely comfortable with it.

 

[Knobhead]

What's this I'm signing?
Oh don't worry about that, it won't concern you (until things go wrong. Then we'll have it coppied and sent to the corroners court).

 

[Robert Turnbull]

Why don't they get electricians to change the showers?

 

[Geordie Spark]

Why don't they get electricians to change the showers?

Well it's that 15mm water pipe innit ..... can't have electricians touching that mate .. that's the plumber's job!!

 

[ruston]

Well it's that 15mm water pipe innit ..... can't have electricians touching that mate .. that's the plumber's job!!

It's ok if it's in plastic though , cos proper plumbers don't work in plastic - do they!!!!!!!! :reddevil::reddevil:

 

[Stuuk1]

I haven't read all of the answers but I'd be more inclined to turn the shower on, leave it running and flick the breaker off, lock it off and then switch the double pole isolator.

Obviously without test gear none of this would be done anyway and I would be telling the company MD to sign it...

 

[Robert Turnbull]

Why don't they get electricians to change the showers?

Well it's that 15mm water pipe innit ..... can't have electricians touching that mate .. that's the plumber's job!!

Never had a problem myself

 

[ruston]

I haven't read all of the answers but I'd be more inclined to turn the shower on, leave it running and flick the breaker off, lock it off and then switch the double pole isolator.

Obviously without test gear none of this would be done anyway and I would be telling the company MD to sign it...

Probably right , but if they aint got the voltage tester they not likely to have a lock either :biggrin:

 

[Silly Sausage]

i have getting the answer I'm looking for - I'm not writing a procedure. Will let someone else do it, in a couple of weeks time he will have totally forgot that he asked me.
Cheers.

Haha...problem solved hours ago!
Just keep on forgetting to do it.

 

[Robert Turnbull]

You'd be best to write the correct safe isolation and locking of procedures involved nothing less!

 

[grantr37]

o oh.....flush the toilet and the light comes on.....

 

[ipf]

Testing for dead with a volt stick ? I did that once. I do miss those side cutters.
Anything you sign your name to has got to refer to proper safe isolation procedure and be carried out with proper approved testers. Anything less and your arse is hanging out in the breeze imho.

May be better checking for a pulse....after isolation, of course.

 

[sedgy34]

Why doesn't the electrician go too when plumbers turn up to change the shower he/she can isolate for them correctly then revisit to do the test. Simples

 

[Elmer BeFuddled]

Well it's that 15mm water pipe innit ..... can't have electricians touching that mate .. that's the plumber's job!!

That will be because you don't understand the different compression (or sealing) properties between a copper olive and a brass olive. Is the brass olive one belt with the apprentices head against the end of the spanner to seal and the copper olive two belts with the apprentices head against the end of the spanner to seal?

Or the other way round?

See the issue?? Its highly technical and you need to be able to read grunt to be able to understand the plumbers regs. (and find a copy!!).

(Just realised I'm quoting Geordie who, may, have a subliminal understanding of grunt!! :smilielol5::icon10

 

[Spoon]

How about giving the plumbers a copy of this, or something similar. Have a look on Google.
http://www.select.org.uk/downloads/publications/Select - Safe Isolation Procedures.pdf