weirdest site experiences

[RyanCheetham]

I thought it might be fun to hear some of your stories but I will kick it off with my story...

The last couple weeks I have been doing another lived in rewire, this was a hoarders house so the worst rewire I've done so far. Anyway the rewire goes perfect and I come in on the Saturday to complete all tests and energise the board. I show up at 9am as agreed only to be met outside by the homeowner to tell me that his mother in law died in her sleep that night (she stayed at the house). So I offer to postpone the test and they said no life must go on. So I agree and continue, comes to testing end of line on the downstairs light circuit which happened to be her room. But the corpse was still in there! I am not squeamish or anything like that but I was far from comfortable about the situation!

 

[t-s]

I thought it might be fun to hear some of your stories but I will kick it off with my story...

The last couple weeks I have been doing another lived in rewire, this was a hoarders house so the worst rewire I've done so far. Anyway the rewire goes perfect and I come in on the Saturday to complete all tests and energise the board. I show up at 9am as agreed only to be met outside by the homeowner to tell me that his mother in law died in her sleep that night (she stayed at the house). So I offer to postpone the test and they said no life must go on. So I agree and continue, comes to testing end of line on the downstairs light circuit which happened to be her room. But the corpse was still in there! I am not squeamish or anything like that but I was far from comfortable about the situation!

i know exactly what you mean, i once did some work at a funeral directors there was like 5 dead bodies in the room with me. i am the same not normally squeamish but i felt really weird.

 

[Paul.M]

So I agree and continue, comes to testing end of line on the downstairs light circuit which happened to be her room. But the corpse was still in there! I am not squeamish or anything like that but I was far from comfortable about the situation!

Now that would be a "limitation" on the cert for me lol. You could almost say that this is extreme dead testing!!!! I'll get my coat.....



Posh restaurant and the food waste machine is blocked. Plumber there to work on the pipes, I'm there to kill power, make safe and get it back up and running. Once the plumber had finished it was time to connect it back up and turn on. Motor kicked in and a lot of loud sucking noises then BANG!!! It spat out all of the food waste up in the air, all over the walls and ceiling then all over me! I was covered in 24 hour rotten food from peoples plates, it stank. Dripping wet from stagnant oil and water, bits of fish hanging from my glasses, pasta and meat on my shoulders, I looked a proper mess.

Plumber, manager and the two kitchen porter lads were laughing their heads off. I had to take my t-shirt off and put it in the bin there and then. They let me use their shower in the staff changing room and gave me a staff t-shirt to go home in. Next time I'll let the plumber push the start button :rofl:

 

[RyanCheetham]

Paul that sounds both horrific and yet like a scene from a comedy film!

 

[ruston]

I've done this too, I rewired the workshop ; if that is the correct definition.
I was called in the room where they prepared the coffins and asked if I wanted tea and a sarnie with them . They were using the coffin they were preparing as a temporary table.

 

[Paul.M]

Paul that sounds both horrific and yet like a scene from a comedy film!

It was like something out of the film Home Alone lol. Drove home in my boxer shorts whilst my work pants were in a bin liner in the back of the van. I've got a good sense of humor so I just laughed it off

 

[Pete999]

Back in the early 70s I was one of the sparks on a council site rewiring the houses, 2 sparks and 2 apprentices, 1 spark and apprentice per house, unless the house was a tip. The older sparks was in charge and he booked when we were to start, anyway this particular place was a right mess, you could smell it from outside so it was a case of all 4 of us in, bish bash bosh in and out soon as.
Moving beds, whats underneath? used ladies things all mingy, used men's things full up, I'm sure you get the picture, how some people live, a right pig sty, glad I got out of that racket.

 

[shanky887614]

Now that would be a "limitation" on the cert for me lol. You could almost say that this is extreme dead testing!!!! I'll get my coat.....



Posh restaurant and the food waste machine is blocked. Plumber there to work on the pipes, I'm there to kill power, make safe and get it back up and running. Once the plumber had finished it was time to connect it back up and turn on. Motor kicked in and a lot of loud sucking noises then BANG!!! It spat out all of the food waste up in the air, all over the walls and ceiling then all over me! I was covered in 24 hour rotten food from peoples plates, it stank. Dripping wet from stagnant oil and water, bits of fish hanging from my glasses, pasta and meat on my shoulders, I looked a proper mess.

Plumber, manager and the two kitchen porter lads were laughing their heads off. I had to take my t-shirt off and put it in the bin there and then. They let me use their shower in the staff changing room and gave me a staff t-shirt to go home in. Next time I'll let the plumber push the start button :rofl:

lol time to get a phase rotation tester, my fluke has it built in

 

[Paul.M]

lol time to get a phase rotation tester, my fluke has it built in

It wasn't a phase rotation problem, it was the pocket of trapped air in the newly cleaned 6" waste pipe forcing air up into the hopper and basin full of rotting food. Once the blades started to turn it opened the "plug hole" and the air forced it's way through basin exploding the water, oil, fish, pasta, stale bread, crab and oyster shells all over me pmsl. Never eaten sea food since.

 

[Besoeker]

One of mine was on a ship - that counts as a a work site doesn't it?

I was commissioning some deck machinery, winches, for which we had supplied the DC drives.
Part of the final test was lifting a test load off the dock side. It was 25 tonnes.
OK. I heard the winch running and the drive ammeter was displaying armature current. But the load wasn't moving. I went below decks and saw the winch turning and puling rope in. What the h*ll is happening here?

It confused me for a while. But, after a little while, it became obvious what was happening. The vessel was listing to port. The winch was pulling the ship over. Eventually, at about 18 degrees, the load was raised.

 

[Pete999]

Working in a Government building in OSLO, built on an ancient grave yard apparently, got all the usual, it's haunted, watch out for the hooded lady, any way had to work weekend when the office was empty, picked the keys up from one of the office staff, only about an hours work but it had to be done out of hours.
How the imagination can take over, working away minding my own business, and this bloke walks by, never said a word just walks by, finished work, packs up takes the key back and said to the young lady "some bloke is still in the office better check later " I said "no can't be anyone there are you sure?" she said "are you sure?" " yep honest" there was not a record of anyone going in to the office. da da da ooooooooer ghosties, make your own mind up, I never went back on my own again, got called all sorts but nobody else would go in on thier own.

 

[shanky887614]

Working in a Government building in OSLO, built on an ancient grave yard apparently, got all the usual, it's haunted, watch out for the hooded lady, any way had to work weekend when the office was empty, picked the keys up from one of the office staff, only about an hours work but it had to be done out of hours.
How the imagination can take over, working away minding my own business, and this bloke walks by, never said a word just walks by, finished work, packs up takes the key back and said to the young lady "some bloke is still in the office better check later " I said "no can't be anyone there are you sure?" she said "are you sure?" " yep honest" there was not a record of anyone going in to the office. da da da ooooooooer ghosties, make your own mind up, I never went back on my own again, got called all sorts but nobody else would go in on thier own.

we work a lot in hospitals and that kind of thing happens a lot, lagger was working away and hears someone say "how are you doing young man" he answers and then turns around and no one is there

he was in a rooftop plantroom with a badly fited steeldoor, no one else in there and the door hadnt been opened. we do quite often hear things when your not expecting it and don't know where it has come from

 

[ruston]

Say what you like , but I bet we have all been in places you just have got to get finished and away.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Not in the same league, but a couple of years ago working on a Cowlin site, the dry liners gang was being run by a keen amateur boxer. He organised a fight on the third floor (still open plan), brought the gloves and set out the ring. The fight was between two of his bickering labourers and EVERYBODY attended, right up to the site manager. Can't see that happening now!

 

[Doomed]

http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/i/hist/nov09/1109-dorsets-plague-port4.jpg

Worked here....

 

[shanky887614]

Say what you like , but I bet we have all been in places you just have got to get finished and away.

ive been there, i have been in a couple houses where you wipe your feet on the way out

 

[ruston]

ive been there, i have been in a couple houses where you wipe your feet on the way out

Yes so have I , and a few that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yes so have I , and a few that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Its when they offer you a brew.................erm no thank-you.

 

[Pete999]

Had a brew offered once tea came in jam jars

 

[Pete999]

Same job as my post about the filthy house, one of the houses the tenant was, shall we say a bit the other way and had his boyfriend living with him, couple of decent blokes, but what made me smile was when the brought us a brew, all china cups and serviettes, who will be Mother he said, had to turn away to smile, nice cuppa though.

 

[Pete999]

Got me started now, I did my apprenticeship for a small contractor in Bath, and as you may or may not know Bath has some beautiful Georgian buildings, the sort of work we were involved with was repairing the electrics in some these houses, along with other normal jobs.
I must have been about 18 and was sent on my first solo job, replace a door bell I think, anyway these house had dirty great big front doors (Adams Family style) got there knocked the door and I could hear the owner hobbling along the corridor, door opened with lots of creaking and there stood the spit image of Boris Karloff (he of the early horror movies) scared the brown stuff out of me, needless to say fastest repair I ever did. Oh by the way Bath trounced Leicester yesterday just in case you're interested.

 

[Leesparkykent]

During my apprenticeship I was doing some work in house and the customer pointed to a door and said don't go in that room. Any way the customer went out and my gaffer told me to open the door and take a look. As an eager apprentice I obliged opened the door to find a load of birds freely flying around, bird cr@p everywhere, twigs hanging of the curtain rail.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Again on my apprenticeship. We was doing the electrics on an extension and my gaffer told me to go switch some of the circuits off. Went in to the room where the DB was, it was low level in the far corner off the room. I crouched down found the circuits I wanted,knocked them off and then went to stand up when I heard a dog growl behind me, any way needless to say I stayed down on the deck turned round and the biggest Rottweiler I've ever seen was standing there staring at me :uhoh2:. I gave it a couple of strokes then went to stand up again, dog was having none of it and started growling again and gave me a tap with its paw, every time I tried the same thing happened. Ended up comando crawling over to the door and stood up and bolted out the door at the 1st given opportunity. I didn't tell the gaffer what had happened and let him go and switch the circuits back on, the story repeated itself but with him instead lol:teeth_smile:

 

[RyanCheetham]

I do love a rottweiler. Amazing dogs

 

[uksparks]

Not a site experience, but just the other day, I stumbled upon a a massive pink real looking vibrator and lots of lube next to this birds bed whilst going round the house with my meter when doing a cu change, she was out at the time so naturally I gave it a good sniff... Just kidding I didn't sniff it!

 

[Leesparkykent]

Not a site experience, but just the other day, I stumbled upon a a massive pink real looking vibrator and lots of lube next to this birds bed whilst going round the house with my meter when doing a cu change, she was out at the time so naturally I gave it a good sniff... Just kidding I didn't sniff it!

maybe it was her way of calling it on? Lol :teeth_smile:

 

[telectrix]

maybe not weird, but once did this rewire for a widow ( about 70). 1st day there, lifted the bedroom carpet to get the boards up, and it was literally underlaid with loads of £10 and £20 notes between the carpet and the underlay. must have been 5K+. fetched the old dear up to see, and she said " so that's where the old sod hid all his cash" ( meaning her late departed). she then said. " that's it. i'mm off th spain next month , and here's £100 of it for you, for being honest".

 

[RyanCheetham]

Beats old news papers by a long shot

 

[Dave OCD]

Its when they offer you a brew.................erm no thank-you.

It takes a lot for me to turn down a cuppa but it has happened a few times.:yes:

 

[Dave OCD]

Not a site experience, but just the other day, I stumbled upon a a massive pink real looking vibrator and lots of lube next to this birds bed whilst going round the house with my meter when doing a cu change, she was out at the time so naturally I gave it a good sniff... Just kidding I didn't sniff it!

I bet you did give it a sniff lol.

 

[ackbarthestar]

Dead bodies do nothing for me, unless they've gone off.

I had one old chap die in front of me once, well it wouldn't be more than once I suppose.

But, when working in a hospital, its nothing like the apprentice hospital porter trick they used to do to the poor old b****rs who were commissioned to take dead bodies down to the mortuary.....

You know where this one is going and it really did sort out those who could cope with the idea of death and of course those subsequent sudden resurrections...

 

[Doomed]

When my sister was doing her training as a nurse in A&E she had a bloke come in with a vacuum cleaner attachment broken off up his backside.

 

[dansk]

Not a funny story but more of weird place to be, we got the job of fitting new electric UFH to padded cells in Ashworth Hospital (think broadmore) we had to make a tool list, count them in, count them out and heaven forbid if you forgot anything from the van it was a half hour trip to get in and out due to security, we had to be escorted everywhere and it a really strange place to be, patients walking in circles in the hallways etc. One lad lost a screwdriver and couldn't leave until it had been found, he found it in the end, he dropped it inside a wall.

 

[ian.settle1]

When my sister was doing her training as a nurse in A&E she had a bloke come in with a vacuum cleaner attachment broken off up his backside.

A nurse I went out with told me of of ai bloke coming into A&E with vacuum cleaner hose attached to his John Thomas excuse was he was hoovering and he slipped. Hoovering in the nude my arse.

 

[telectrix]

that reminds me of the case of the suicide in the mersey. bloke was wearing high heels and suspenders, a banana stuck up his arse and an orange duct taped over his mouth. he was also wearing a man.utd. shirt. to save his family embarrassment, police removed the man.utd. top.

 

[Diddy]

Not a funny story but more of weird place to be, we got the job of fitting new electric UFH to padded cells in Ashworth Hospital (think broadmore) we had to make a tool list, count them in, count them out and heaven forbid if you forgot anything from the van it was a half hour trip to get in and out due to security, we had to be escorted everywhere and it a really strange place to be, patients walking in circles in the hallways etc. One lad lost a screwdriver and couldn't leave until it had been found, he found it in the end, he dropped it inside a wall.

Had exactly this scenario (apart from loosing anything lol) at a secure mental unit in Scotland. We were doing fire alarms in micc. Great job - But as well as the counting in and out of any tools ect we also had to sign a disclaimer or whatever you call it which basically stated that if you did leave something behind and a patient used it to harm himself or others it would amount to YOU being the one charged with the assault (Well not the assault but very close to it)...and you would be the one in court as the patients were not responsible.
Funny place though - huge it was and we were there ages. Patients wandered about the grounds freely ect. You never knew who you were talking to staff/patient/visitor lol.
We used to get one guy come up and ask us for our empty pop bottles so he could return them for the 10p or whatever it was then....Trouble was he was never allowed out of the grounds so his attempts at this were futile...not that we could ever think of giving him a glass bottle anyway ...shudder to think lol.
The was also a part of the "hospital" for people who were not criminally insane....same rules don't leave stuff lying around ect...one of the guy's who had absolutely no morals ended up having an affair with one of the continued suicide threats when she got out....week later she was back in having had another go at slashing her wrists....Dirty bugger he was.
The one thing that stands out in my memory was the fact that the place had them old fashioned radiators which got so hot that they actually could burn your skin.....One of the patients in the secure side used to strip off and climb ontop of one of them and sleep naked on it...until staff came along and carted him off...again, he literally did this daily ffs.
To be fair I think back and some of the staff were "worse" than the patients they were looking after lol.

 

[Andy78]

Not a funny story but more of weird place to be, we got the job of fitting new electric UFH to padded cells in Ashworth Hospital (think broadmore) we had to make a tool list, count them in, count them out and heaven forbid if you forgot anything from the van it was a half hour trip to get in and out due to security, we had to be escorted everywhere and it a really strange place to be, patients walking in circles in the hallways etc. One lad lost a screwdriver and couldn't leave until it had been found, he found it in the end, he dropped it inside a wall.

Was the same system in a place I worked. This place housed patients of all scopes, from people who just talked to themselves at bus stops to disturbed killers.
There was an "airlock" on entry where all procedures had to be followed before the second door would open, two of which were the counting in and out of tools and a daily body and clothing frisk on entry. This was all a pain in the proverbial but I could understand the reasons.
One day we were in the airlock and a guy knocked on the outside door. The staff buzzed the door open and let him through both airlock doors into the facility.. no search.. no book to sign..no questions.
As he waltzed through he cheerily exclaimed "There's me change", dumped some money on the counter and waved a twix bar at the staff.
"Who was that then that he doesn't have to be searched ?" we asked.
"Oh that's one of the patients"
"What ?"
"Yeah we give him money for the bus and he pops into town and does a bit of shopping"
"But how do you know he just brought a twix bar in ?"
A blank, non comprehending stare accompanied the answer "Because that's all the receipt says and the change is correct"
"So he couldn't have picked up a piece of glass or metal from the waste ground outside then ?"
"Oh no don't be silly, he's one of the good 'uns"

Unreal. We still had to be searched on every entry to the facility, even if just popping to the van, or after lunch break, or even standing out for a cig in full view of the reception staff.

 

[dansk]

Yes same thing with the airlock, one day we was passing through and the door didn't open because of an patient scare, never mind the patient I was scared thinking we was trapped!

 

[Andy78]

Yes same thing with the airlock, one day we was passing through and the door didn't open because of an patient scare, never mind the patient I was scared thinking we was trapped!

Yeah we got trapped in our place a couple of times. Every corridor had mag locked doors every 20 yards or so. These were operated by our swipe card weilding chaperone. Kick offs led to us being held in corridors between doors until things had been dealt with. Dealt with generally meant a bundling into a padded "chill out" room for the feisty patient for half a day's reflection.

 

[mort2376]

Wierdest experiance was discovering rat racing taking place in a lab !

The lab was an animal testing facility and not many people would agree to work in there. You have to have your tools disinfected going in which was a nightmare and you had to strip and shower via an airlock before entering the place. Your clean overalls were on the other side of the airlock, so you walked through naked into the next changing room.

On entering on the 1st day I dont think they were expecting me and as I went into one of the labs 3 rats shot past my feet and out the door I had just come through. Needless to say I didnt jump up on the table or anything, but I had never seen anything so funny as 6 people trying to catch these escaped rats before they got anywhere else in the complex !