DANGER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Bad DIY ‘Electricians’
Regulations broken: BS7671:2008 Reg 411.3.1.2

We showed up to a plumbing call on Friday afternoon to install the hookups for a new washing machine. We knew that we would have to create a cold water feed and a new waste hookup. While getting ready to cut into the water pipe work we spied the earth cable shown below!

Sitting under the cabinet in poor light I did a double take as the earth bond to the water pipe didn’t look correct. A closer inspection showed that the cable had indeed been cut. It didn’t break loose or work itself loose…it was cut.

As the gas pipe work in this property is not earthed either the cut cable left the house with all metal pipe work  in a position where they could go live in the event of an electrical fault.

We’ve seen too many of these main earth bond cables in the past where someone cuts the cable to do some work but then never re-connects the cable back to the earth clamp when finished. The cowboy indicator that the cable will never be hooked up again is the fact that it’s cut! Anyone who intended to re-connect a cable would just disconnect the cable with a screwdriver and not cut it. The cable is after all only connected to the earth clamp by way of a slot head screw.

The correct tool for the correct job. Don’t use a side cutter to remove an earth cable. Use a screwdriver and re-connect it when you’re finished. It could just save someone’s life or in this case your 81 year old grandmother’s life.

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