Unqualified sparkie charged over female fatality

Something not right here, he was supposed to have tested it 21 months before she died, but the metal frame has been live since the flat was built, but didn't trip any fuses or RCDs.

 

if a highly qualified person had tested the same installation 21 months before the accident they may well have found no fault - if a PB screw had pierced the cable insulation and came to rest touching the live, the stud wall framing would be live, but isolated by the PB skins and the floors and walls - no bonding so it would just float at mains voltage until ........

would the usual tests have found this ?

 

Wouldn't the boiler have been fitted to the frame work since it was a hollow wall??

 

It doesn't say that the boiler was fixed to that wall, merely that it was in the same cupboard.

 

That a good point, could be free standing.

 

the RCD should have tripped, but who knows what's been done to the installation, or what faults might have developed during the 21 months

this is just typical DM provocative journalism, seeking to blame someone before all of the evidence has been presented

''Emma Shaw, 22, suffered the shock in her store cupboard as her one-year-old son Brayden played in the living room nearby - just months after the mains were inspected.''

 

As you say though Sean, the RCD should have tripped , but given the date of the installation (and subsequent electrocution) the installation was only to the 16th edition, so I'm unsure whether the circuit which was faulty would have been protected by an RCD. The article doesn't say which circuit had been damaged by the plasterboard screw.

 

Even if it wasn't RCD protected it still would have had a fuse in the CU, surely that would have blown wouldn't it??

All it says about the circuit is it's circuit 3 what ever that is, but being in the cupboard with the boiler it must be for that what else in a cupboard would need power apart from a light which it's wiring should be in the ceiling space.

 

it would have blown eventually, assuming she'd created a live (from the water) to earth (touched the earthed boiler?) path - but the current would have been many many more times that required to kill a person

16th required only RCD on sockets ? - so who knows what the cable that was damaged was feeding

 

Tis a strange one, that's for sure, I mean it's taken 6 & bit years to come to court, why ?

 

google is great for the senile - 16th was RCDs for sockets, if they were likely to be used to power something outside, so out of the equipotential zone - as she was in a flat there could well have not been any RCDs ?

 

Very sad story. The case is expected to last 8 days.
I guess because it's a fatality NIC may be asked to inspect and give their opinion in court?

 

Tragic indeed. Thankfully very rare.

Are the metal frameworks in p'board walls meant to be earth-bonded? If not, then surely this was effectively undetectable?

If they were meant to be earth bonded, then how would this be tested for by a 'proper' sparky?

Water leaked from the boiler, formed a pool on the floor which went under the skirting and made contact with the live metal framework. Ergo puddle becomes 'live'. The unfortunate mum touched both the puddle and earthed stopcock at the same time. Hellish.

How could this have been prevented?

If it couldn't have, then the sparky's mate is not liable in any way. So the prosecutor and the Daily Snail can go and take a running fluff.

 

In the first link, the story is dated for yesterday 19th March 2014, in the link above it is dated 9th Jan 2012, 26 months ago?.

It also says not enough evidence to bring prosecution.

 

that was the result of the Coroners inquest - so I guess the CPS looked at the verdict and started scrabbling around for someone to blame, hence the current case

 

Actually, should the 'live' puddle on the floor have tripped the RCD? Would the puddle itself have earthed itself enough through the floor?

Or, shouldn't the RCD have tripped as soon as the poor lady touched the stopcock? Fast enough to have saved her life?

 

Well done Sherlock, didn't think of it like that, must have some very good evidence to bring the charges then, still seems strange though for a few reasons, why was the wire anywhere near the framework, how it stayed live for so long, what was the wire powering.

 

This is what I was saying that it should have either tripped the RCD if fitted or blown the fuse.