Chris 


Wel spotted, I was just testing the powers of observation of forum members. The Line conductor from the E7 board goes directly to the switched output on the meter.

I find the DNO themselves to be much more approachable than some of the metering companies when it comes to pulling the cutout.

I guess this comes down to who loses the most money in the event of abstraction? 99% of the time a missing seal is due to entirely innocent reasons. (Often a previous contractor, or even damage due to simple wear and tear, picture a meter or service cutout seal of the old lead type,  in the Harry Potter suite, knocked by the Hoover every time it's taken out...)


As to legality, I'd be one of those to argue that my responsibility of FIRST concern is my own and my colleague's safety... so if withdrawing the fuse carrier is safer than attempting to work live, then so be it.

Alan, yes, in an ideal world that is true, but I have found since privatization the DNO's have become less responsive than the former electricity boards. A customer wants the work done now, they don't want to negotiate the quagmire of regulatory frameworks etc. We encourage the customer whenever major work is done, to have the DNO install an isolator.  But there are occasions where that's not practical or proportionate.


However, taking off my 'i want to get on with my job' hat... i fully approve of the procedures around sealing the DNO and metering company's gear... for safety as well as fraud prevention. It's just a shame the average sparky is thrown in with the 'getting free lecky' crowd, and there's not an intermediate procedure available? (temporary seals for registered CPS members for a nominal 5 pounds each would be an idea? with a responsibity to notify the DNO to have the next crew nearby to reseal it properly...). But these days everything is so complex with risk assessments and form filling


just my £0.02

Re removing the cut out fuse from DNO's equipment in premises: It's all very well the electrician removing the fuse, and yes he may be competent, experienced and registered - but the rules are there for a reason. It's worth remembering that if something goes wrong, the only protection between the cut out and the transformer could be a 400A HRC fuse in the substation's LV fuseway - if the cut out's on the end of a long service, the fuse probably won't respond and in such a case the only real limit to the fault current is the impedance of the service cable. Should the cut out fail while the fuse is being removed (which can happen), a serious explosion with significant arc energy could result - the consequences being damage, fire, serious injury or death. And there would almost certainly be a health and safety investigation and prosecution. 


For DNO staff and contractors working on service terminations, the mandatory minimum PPE is a full face visor, arc resistant coveralls and insulated gloves with kid leather overgloves - and private electricians are very unlikely to possess these, let alone use them. The DNO will usually charge a fee to remove the fuse, this is to cover the cost of sending staff to site - small expense against the potential consequences of doing it yourself. It's safer, and more professional, to do it right - ask the supplier to arrange for the fuse to be removed.


Re seals missing from the cut out - I'd echo a previous comment that the vast majority of the time, there is no blame on the part of the householder. There is nearly always an innocent explanation, and most of the time the householder is genuinely completely unaware that anything's wrong. It's always been a legal requirement that the distributor's equipment must be sealed or locked (now comes under ESQCR regulation 4.24 - I think - anorak that I am) but I can't remember any prosecutions or proceedings being taken against a householder where missing seals have been found - subject to the caveat of there being no evidence of interference or illegal abstraction. If you notice your seals are missing, ring your supplier and report it - then you've taken reasonable steps to get it rectified. Cases of interference are another matter entirely - those that I've come across have been blindingly obvious to those in the trade. These present a serious risk of fire, shock or fatality and these have always been, and always will be, rigorously followed up. 

Chris Pearson:

 

Howard Warren:

For DNO staff and contractors working on service terminations, the mandatory minimum PPE is a full face visor, arc resistant coveralls and insulated gloves with kid leather overgloves - and private electricians are very unlikely to possess these, let alone use them. The DNO will usually charge a fee to remove the fuse, this is to cover the cost of sending staff to site - small expense against the potential consequences of doing it yourself. It's safer, and more professional, to do it right - ask the supplier to arrange for the fuse to be removed.

Hm!


For a new supply, wouldn't the service head be installed before the service cable is connected to the mains?


When my new meter was installed, the technician wore arc shield and insulating gloves (and used insulated tools) but he was having a six-monthly appraisal. He told me that he had only once had to deal with a "lively" service head.


As far as I could see, for a service head and meter move a couple of weeks ago, neither technician was wearing any PPE

Normally, for a simple service connection to an LV cable or overhead line, the cut out is terminated at the same time the mains connection is made - it doesn't make commercial sense to have one team visit site to terminate the cut out, then another team follow on to make the connection. The cable may well be installed in advance, but the termination and joint are nearly always done in one visit. Different for a more complicated job, for example where a new connection requires a new HV transformer - in this case the LV work including the termination would be completed in advance of the shutdown day, with the appropriate continuity/IR tests being completed prior to final connection.  


I can't pass comment on the situation you mentioned, where the technicians weren't wearing PPE - other than they should have been!

Just a followup from following this thread: I am maybe a little unlike most electricians as I DO have a set of 1000v gloves along with protectors, AND a face shield. I lack the blast resistant jacket however. But I am going to be a lot less blasé about pulling the cutout fuse even if it's unsealed on arrival. I believe it would be in everyone's interest for every meter going forward, to be fitted with that oh so rare screwdriver operated isolator switch and a split terminal cover. Offering a clear demarcation of 'mine and thine'