Conditioned behaviour

[Nightjar]

I had a few minor electrical jobs to do around the house - replace a light switch, a new light fitting in the kitchen and investigate why an eyeball fitting wasn't working. I know my house wiring and I know that the circuit breakers really do work on the circuits they should. About half way through the jobs I realised that, despite the circuits being off, I had carefully, but quite unconsciously, been avoiding touching anything metal with my bare hands. I hadn't quite got around to standing on switchgear matting, as I always did when working on three phase (very useful once, when I discovered a circuit I had pulled the fuses on had a second connection to the mains).

Colin Bignell

[spuorgelgoog]

I do that quite consciously even if I know the circuit is off. Just in case.

As I cut through a live cable t'other week causing pretty fireworks overhead, I think caution is always advisable.

Owain

[Onetap]

If I'm working on anything electrical, I find my brain seems to interpret any unexpected scratch or jab as being an electric shock and I react violently, jumping away exactly as if the part had been live and I had been shocked.

The power has always been off, touch wood; it takes half a second to realise that there was no electricity involved.

[robgraham]

You should try keeping bees !!

Rob

[Onetap]

I did, briefly. I became allergic and was advised to stop. I was stung between the eyes and my face swelled up like a melon until my eyes were slits. It was almost enjoyable walking into A&E and being immediately directed to the front of the very long queue!

[Brian Gaff]

Better safe than unable to be sorry I say. Brian

[Lobster]

So, did you know the circuit was switched off? :)

[Bill Wright]

I fitted three 13A sockets without rubber gloves and without incident, unconsciously avoiding touching any metal. When I went to turn the power back on I found I'd not turned it off. Nowadays I always neon or meter test and wear rubber gloves even though I 'know' the power is off.

Bill

[spuorgelgoog]

I knew the circuit I thought I was cutting into was off.

Anyway, I was only cutting into it to try to fix it after I'd scraped it with the plasterboard saw.

I thought the wiring in this place was in conduit. Obviously the stuff above the ceilings isn't.

Owain

[SteveW]

Without thinking about it, my wife automatically avoids using the handrails on staircases in places she's not used to (despite her having a balance problem). This is because she spent years working in North Manchester visiting psychiatric patients in high-rises and it was not unusual to find junkies had concealed their used needles to stick any strangers using the handrails.

SteveW

[ARW]

You cannot beat starting up a circular saw behind someone and running a screwdriver down their back at the same time.

[newshound]

+1.

I still find myself putting my left hand in my pocket before touching some electrics. Which tells you where I come from!

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Bastard! LOL.

[tony sayer]

Me too!, and its years since I worked on HV stuff;!...

[ARW]

It works. But I am sure that you will now try it out for yourself.

Don't be too gentle with the screwdriver:-).