....Or should that be the other way round?

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where live
cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc during a renovation project,
what is considered the kosher way of making these safe, in a manner that
would satisfy Heath and Safety / NICEIC / the Part P police / RSPCA /
whoever else?

Currently, where it's been impossible to isolate bits of circuit
completely, I've gone for wiring the cables into a connection strip and
sheathing the whole lot in loads of insulating tape: I'm perfectly happy
with that from the viewpoint of my personal safety, but wondered whether
it could be construed as inadequate if I'm getting tradesmen in to work
in the same area?

Thanks
David

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where live
cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc during a renovation project,
what is considered the kosher way of making these safe, in a manner that
would satisfy Heath and Safety / NICEIC / the Part P police / RSPCA /
whoever else?

Well it can normally be avoided. Such cables should be isolated. If it
really is unavoidable, I tend to use a plastic junction box. If you're
really worried, stick a 230V warning label on the box to scare them!

Christian.

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:21:07 GMT someone who may be Lobster
wrote this:-

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where live
cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc

Why would it be unavoidable?

during a renovation project,
what is considered the kosher way of making these safe,

Such cables should be disconnected before the work starts.
Alternatively they will presumably terminate in a metal box in the
wall when work is completed, so why not put the metal box in now,
terminate the live and neutral at a termial strip, and put a blank
faceplate over the box, or even fit the actual outlet. This will
work if the works are not of an aggressive sort, where the faceplate
might get damaged.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:21:07 GMT someone who may be Lobster
wrote this:-

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where live
cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc

Why would it be unavoidable?

Well OK, not *strictly* unavoidable but (eg) it would mean running
temporary cables below the floor to complete the existing ringmain which
has now been extended/rerouted; plus breaking into the cable to add in
one or maybe two junction boxes in order to do this - which will be
redundant but still present once the installation is complete, which I
consider bad practice and don't like (but if it's considered even worse
practice not to do so here, then I'm listening!)

Such cables should be disconnected before the work starts.
Alternatively they will presumably terminate in a metal box in the
wall when work is completed, so why not put the metal box in now,
terminate the live and neutral at a termial strip, and put a blank
faceplate over the box, or even fit the actual outlet. This will
work if the works are not of an aggressive sort, where the faceplate
might get damaged.

Doesn't really work if your tradesman happens to be applying skim
plaster though, unless you don't mind your faceplates being buried! As
it is, my insulation tape-covered termional strips are sitting within
their metal boxes, so are pretty well protected; just that they haven't
got faceplates on.

David

"Lobster" wrote in message
news
David Hansen wrote:
On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:21:07 GMT someone who may be Lobster
wrote this:-

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where
live
cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc

Doesn't really work if your tradesman happens to be applying skim
plaster though, unless you don't mind your faceplates being buried! As
it is, my insulation tape-covered termional strips are sitting within
their metal boxes, so are pretty well protected; just that they haven't
got faceplates on.


If you want it to look kosher, then crimp on insulated connectors, the
bullet ones designed to connect wires by them entering the connector in the
same direction.

--
Mike W

"Lobster" wrote

As
it is, my insulation tape-covered termional strips are sitting within
their metal boxes, so are pretty well protected; just that they haven't
got faceplates on.

Exactly what I did - but also added insulating tape over the screw lugs on
the back box to stop them getting gunked.
Guess if you wanted to go the extra mile you could cut square/rectangular
plastic covers to sit just inside the box in front of the lugs.

Phil

In article ,
David Hansen wrote:
Alternatively they will presumably terminate in a metal box in the
wall when work is completed, so why not put the metal box in now,
terminate the live and neutral at a termial strip, and put a blank
faceplate over the box, or even fit the actual outlet. This will
work if the works are not of an aggressive sort, where the faceplate
might get damaged.

But not much use if part of the works include plastering and or papering?

A chocolate block well taped should be safe enough. Most tradesmen aren't
fools and would realise it's probably live. New dead cables wouldn't
normally be stripped back at this stage.

--
*Could it be that "I do " is the longest sentence? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Lobster wrote:
...Or should that be the other way round?

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where
live cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc during a renovation
project, what is considered the kosher way of making these safe, in a
manner that would satisfy Heath and Safety / NICEIC / the Part P
police / RSPCA / whoever else?

Currently, where it's been impossible to isolate bits of circuit
completely, I've gone for wiring the cables into a connection strip
and sheathing the whole lot in loads of insulating tape: I'm
perfectly happy with that from the viewpoint of my personal safety,
but wondered whether it could be construed as inadequate if I'm
getting tradesmen in to work in the same area?

Thanks
David

A taped up connector block is more than adequate, almost everyone[1] in the
building industry has a healthy respect for electricity, especially when
forewarned and alerted to it's whereabouts.

[1] those that don't are no longer in the building industry, nor any other
industry for that matter.

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:26:30 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

If you're really worried, stick a 230V warning label on the box to scare them!

Stuff Brussels. 230v with reference to anything in the UK ought to be
banned.


--

Lobster wrote:
...Or should that be the other way round?

Anyway - just wondering: if you have an unavoidable situation where
live cables are protruding from wall/ceiling etc during a renovation
project, what is considered the kosher way of making these safe, in a
manner that would satisfy Heath and Safety / NICEIC / the Part P
police / RSPCA / whoever else?

Each cable should have a 2' x 3' warning sign in yellow/black bearing a
skull & crossbones. The sign should include warnings in Cosovan, Albainian,
Polish & Serbo Croat as well as the usual Punjabi, Hindi etc.

An area 4' x 4' surrounding each cable should be fenced off floor to ceiling
and a security guard should patrol inside 27-7. The guard should wear
rubber wellies with 2" thick soles.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

Stuff Brussels. 230v with reference to anything in the UK ought to be
banned.

Why? It is only a continuation of a process that has been happening since
the mid 20th century. In 1945, there were still loads of different systems
around and it has taken until now to standardise. Doing the same with Europe
(even if it is only a paper exercise) is just the next step.

Christian.

But it is just a paper exercise.

Although it is a paper exercise from a supply point of view, it is NOT a
paper exercise in terms of electrical appliances. We now have the benefit
that any electrical appliance bought in any EU country (except lightbulbs)
will work in any other EU country. This benefit probably now extends
worldwide (in 200V+ countries), as anyone producing an appliance even for
sale elsewhere will probably ensure that it meets EU specs, as to do
otherwise will limit their market.

Christian.