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testing safe of a 16 Amp commando socket/plug

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Hello,i am an RF engineer and we have equipment that is fed by rack mounted AC/DC converters which charge batteries. these converters are wired into fused spurs using 2.5mm arctic blue cable routed into cable trunking. the 2.5mm cable is fixed in the rack before entering the trunking.

At the moment we are all trained in testing the circuit is switched off using a martindale VIPD138 voltage indicator and proving unit and then we lock off the circuit.

Everyone's training is due to expire and our company health and safety department want to change the installation from the fused spur to 16 Amp commando sockets/plugs rather than retrain everyone in proving the circuit has been switched off.


I have no issues with using commando sockets instead of the fused spurs but my concern is that if the nearest location the commando socket can be mounted is the other end of the room and there are numerous commando sockets supplying different racks how do you prove you have pulled the correct plug? surely you have to still be able to test the circuit has been switched off using the tester and training required.


I am having a discussion with the Health and safety department next week so any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks
  • 0
    Sparkingchip:

    Prove the tester.

    Prove dead.

    Prove the tester.


    Consider the safe isolation procedure for a domestic consumer unit. The cover is off and you are proving dead, the main switch input terminals remain live whilst you work within the consumer unit.


    So you prove the tester using the input terminals of the main switch, then prove the output terminals are dead, then prove the tester again on the input terminals.


    You don’t need a proving unit for a domestic consumer unit that always have live terminals within them that you can use to prove your tester.


    If you have the opportunity to isolate further upstream (e.g. REC2 isolator, switch-fuse, or upstream DB) would you not do so?


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    thanks for all your assistance, it has been very interesting reading all your views. I have passed on my concerns to our authorised person (electrical) and will be having a chat with him later this week.



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