Safe isolation is a cornerstone of electrical safety, but other hazards can still be present when working on electrical systems, including the risk of coming into contact with unexpectedly live metal parts, Martindale Electric has warned. This includes items such as metal casings on equipment or appliances, pipework, and other types of metalwork that should be earthed. This invisible danger can be present in any situation, from domestic work through to commercial and industrial installations.
Martindale is running a new awareness campaign: ‘STOP. No Check. No Contact!’ reminding anyone working on or near electricity not to take any chances with exposed metal parts and to always check first, as they may be live.
“Standard industry-wide safe isolation procedures safely disconnect the supply from the circuit to allow safe rework, maintenance, or installation to take place,” said Steve Dunning, Managing Director at Martindale Electric. “They do not cover checking for live metal parts, so incorporating this discipline into established work processes will further minimise risk and help ensure safer working practices. If the metalwork is not checked for being live don’t touch it: Stop. No check. No contact!”
One potential cause of danger is the Protective Earth Neutral (PEN) fault. This is where a break or ‘open circuit’ occurs in a PEN conductor, which serves as both the neutral and protective earth. A broken or faulty PEN conductor can cause dangerous voltages to appear on metalwork. For potentially live metallic items, performing a touch test is essential.
