In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:
In article .com,
Milleniumaire wrote:
On closer examination of my light switches, they don't appear to have
earth cables, just a live and switched live wire! The ceiling roses do
have earth connections but this earth isn't taken to the switches. I
know from experience that this isn't unusual and is the way that the
last three new houses I have lived in were wired.

I'm not quite sure when lighting earths throughout the circuit became
mandatory, but I'd say it was more than 7 years ago. My house has them and

In the 1960's I think.

it was re-wired in '74...

My parents' house, wired in 1950's has earths in the switch drop
wires, so they were fitted even before they were mandatory in
some cases.

And of course the one at the switch is perhaps the most important if using
metal plate switches.

Yes, you mustn't use them without being earthed.

--
Andrew Gabriel