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Live Exposed Conductive Parts.

Zoomup
I have left the hyphens out because the parts that I am referring to are normally live but insulated by a cover. 


I was working in a bungalow today. The consumer unit is situated at high level just below the ceiling in the kitchen. Below the consumer unit is a tall storage cupboard. When I used my steps to turn off an M.C.B. I noticed that the long plastic bus-bar cover that is normally inside the consumer unit was left out on top of the tall storage cupboard. Also a modern energy meter had no cover on it and the four terminal screws were visible. The screws are partly recessed by 2 or 3mm but are still touchable if you put you finger against them. I suspect the solar panel installers are to blame.


So, the owner could be searching for an item stored on top of the tall storage cupboard and get a nasty shock. I suspect that the cover meant to cover the live meter terminals was dropped down the back of the fixed tall storage cupboard.


Bad all round.


Z.
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    weirdbeard:

    Hi zoomup, apologies that I don't have a biblical reference number, but could you tell off your steps who the energy meter belonged to? Did you take a picture?




    Hello weirdbeard,

                                    I am not sure who the meter belonged to. It may have been associated with the solar panel system. I did not take a picture of it. I had limited time, but did not consider a snap. I notified the home owner. He is an elderly simple country man who would not fiddle I am sure. I am to provide an E.I.C.R. in January for him so I can look deeper then. Are you thinking of possible abstraction?


    Z.

                               

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    Zoomup:




    I was thinking that it is very easy to forget to put things back where they should be - e.g. busbar covers.


    Psalms 19:12


    And just leave it in front of the consumer unit in plain sight on top of a tall storage cupboard. The loosening of two consumer unit screws to remove the cover and 20 seconds would ensure its replacement. Nope, this was no mistake Chris, this was a case of negligence, especially leaving the meter terminals open to touch.



     



    Zoomup, To err is to be human. I am sure that many of us have forgotten to do something like replace a cover or tighten a screw.


    The missing cover is more troubling. If it was accidentally dropped down the back of the cupboard, something should have been done about it.

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member

    Zoomup:




    weirdbeard:

    Hi zoomup, apologies that I don't have a biblical reference number, but could you tell off your steps who the energy meter belonged to? Did you take a picture?




    Hello weirdbeard,

                                    I am not sure who the meter belonged to. It may have been associated with the solar panel system. I did not take a picture of it. I had limited time, but did not consider a snap. I notified the home owner. He is an elderly simple country man who would not fiddle I am sure. I am to provide an E.I.C.R. in January for him so I can look deeper then. Are you thinking of possible abstraction?


                               


     




    Thanks for the reply, I was not thinking of abstraction, look forward to the pics in Jan :)

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    Zoom, thanks for the tip about the choc bock on the busbar fingers. We keep a selection of those slip on yellow covers with the lightning flash symbol on them, but they don't fit all makes.
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    MHRestorations:

    Zoom, thanks for the tip about the choc bock on the busbar fingers. We keep a selection of those slip on yellow covers with the lightning flash symbol on them, but they don't fit all makes.




    Indeed MH some parts are not fit for purpose and just fall off, like the plastic consumer unit bus-bar covers and unused way blanks. I apply the "get out of jail free" card, Reg. 133.1.3 if using a site constructed or designed device. But it must  "provide at least the same degree of safety" as an "official approved" part. 


    Z.

  • 0

    MHRestorations:

    Zoom, thanks for the tip about the choc bock on the busbar fingers. We keep a selection of those slip on yellow covers with the lightning flash symbol on them, but they don't fit all makes.




     

    A short bit of plastic conduit with a slit in it to allow it to be positioned on top of the live busbar as well as replacing the plastic guard to the front.


    Andy Betteridge

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