"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
snip
You are more likely to choke to death on your own vomit, strangle
yourself accidentally with your bed sheet, or drown in your bathtub than
you are to die of electrocution. And more than thirteen times as likely
to die by simply falling down, and that doesn't include stairs or
windows, or other high places!
Now, if the other website I found saying that 86 percent of
electrocution "injuries" (sic) occur to children aged 1 to 4, I'd say
it's quite likely that the death percentage is comparable. So leaving
out infants and toddlers and high tension lines, that's 45 deaths per
year in the U.S. due to electrocution. If only half of those were
industrial accidents other than high tension lines, that's 22 deaths in
the home.
22 deaths. And we think electricity is a horrible monster, just waiting
to leap out and slaughter us at the least provocation. Balderdash.
Tell all this to the idiots who drafted the UK's 'Part P' legislation which
imposes daft limits on DIY electrical work. For example, you can't even
install or change a light fitting, socket or light switch in what is now
deemed a 'hazardous area', ie bathrooms, kitchens, garages, sheds or outdoor
locations.
In their infinite wisdom, they decided you can no longer add outlets to a
ring main- but they do permit you to add one spur. Yeah, that's really safer
than doing it properly.
Conversely, they allow you to completely strip all the wiring out and
replace it- provided the new wiring follows the same path (except in
'hazardous areas'). It beggars belief how they can allow a complete rewire
but forbid inserting one socket into the ring.
Actually- you can do any electrical work you like, provided you get it
signed off by a jobsworth building inspector with no electrical experience
at all and at large cost. The law also applies to professionals- if you
don't get the (costly) accreditation you can't sign off your own work
regardless of your qualifications or experience, which I'm told has forced
many good middle aged sparkies into early retirement.
Not that it stops home DIY'ers, least of all me ;-) How can they enforce it
provided you do a good job? Answer is they can't, so stuff them.
Dave