04/01/2017
Having worked in the offshore industry for 36 years it makes you aware how dangerous electricity can be in the wrong hands. There is an old adage in the electrical business mainly due to the upsurge of the DIY enthusiasts. It is reasonably easy to get something to work but getting it to work safely is often far more difficult than envisaged. It only takes a minute amount of electrical current approximately anything in excess of 35 Milli Amps to disrupt the heart rhythms and could result in a fatality.
Every year you get your car MOT’d when was the last time you thought how safe are your house electrics. Before you bought your house how many DIY jobs were done by the last occupier. Was his name Barney Bodger ??.
Electrical safety has moved on quite a bit in the last decade or so The IEE electrical regulations for domestic premises have been revised are now at the 17th edition. I have recently attended UHI Inverness and upgraded my qualifications to reflect this.
Have a look at your fuse box if its older than 20 years it probably has rewireable fuses or older type circuit breakers. This type of fuse box only affords basic protection it will not protect from electric shock.
The type of fuse box shown on my front page is fitted with earth leakage protection and will cut off the electricity supply to a faulty piece of equipment protecting the user from electric shock.
The price of these units has dropped considerably in the past number of years and is relatively inexpensive to have them changed out. I would recommend for you and your family’s safety to have one of these fitted ASAP.
