Bloomin' cheap Jigsaw!

[G&M]

Were you born a prat or do you have to train for it every day ?

[mark]

In message , IMM writes

A tad different to 'never'. I had a chat with my uncle this weekend and all. He did his apprenticeship working for a firm manufacturing conveyor belts for printing firms. All the tools in the factory were 240v and many of the employees owned their own electric drills. He seemed to think 110v came in during the 70's with the factories act.

[mark]

In message , Andy Hall writes

And now it seems we can use 240 as long as we have breakers. :)

[mark]

In message , IMM writes

Why not?

[John Rumm]

Because it does not support IMMs wild generalisation... any evidence that does not support the assertion is discarded. That way he is never wrong.

[IMM]

'Journeymen

Early sixties at the least.

[IMM]

And I think...and it's double insulated.

[IMM]

Correction..it doesn't support IMMs experience and knowledge. That's better.

[G&M]

Correction..it doesn't support IMMs experience and knowledge of being a prat That's better still !!!!!!!

[IMM]

Is that what they call a knowledgeable person around your way? Strange people.

[mark]

In message , IMM writes

Agreed.

[Owain]

"mark" wrote | I had a chat with my uncle this weekend and all. | He did his apprenticeship working for a firm manufacturing | conveyor belts for printing firms. All the tools in the | factory were 240v and many of the employees owned their | own electric drills. He seemed to think 110v came in | during the 70's with the factories act.

Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 perhaps?

Owain

[IMM]

No. Earlier than that.

[Toby]

This lot came in when they started to get serious about building site safety.

Construction (Working Places) Regulations 1966 (SI 1966 No 94) Construction (Health and Welfare) Regulations 1966 (SI 1966 No 95)

DeWalt seem to think it has been for the last 50 years Quote " Q:Does 110v have to be used on sites? A:This is undoubtedly a heated debate - here are the facts; There is no legal requirement to use 110v onsite and it is argued that 230v with the use of an RCD (Residual Circuit Breaker) is just as safe. However 110v Centre tapped to earth (CTE) is generally enforced on UK sites and in the 50 year period that it has been enforced there has not been a single fatal accident - who could argue with that? "

[Toby]

Quotes from the HMSO docs back this up to a certain extent: " THE ELECTRICITY AT WORK REGULATIONS (1989) which updates and revokes THE ELECTRICITY (FACTORIES ACT) SPECIAL REGULATIONS 1908 AND 1944 (PLUS EXEMPTIONS)

EARTHING AND OTHER SUITABLE PRECAUSIONS (Reg 8)

13 (5) Inspectors should continue to press for the use of reduced voltage lighting and power tools, eg 110v centre tapped to earth in the working environments described in para 19 of the Memorandum of Guidance (eg construction work).

ENFORCEMENT

6 (5) The EAW Regulations will apply to electrical work in domestic premises. Such work will fall to HSE to enforce. "

Remember that HSE inspectors have a warrant to enter and go anywhere they like without needing a magistrate's order. Don't think they'll be tailing me home from the diy store with my stash of red/black T&E....

[IMM]

IT does not say 110v is mandatory. DeWalt are right. To "press" is not "enforce". If you have RCDs and 130v double insulated tools on site, and the safety man say change them, ask him where it says so. If he can't give you the text then tell him to stop bothering you.

DeWalt are right in that 110v has been around for around 50 years.

[G&M]

Of course it has - in the USA where they come from. And they didn't even do hand tools back then - only stand based machinery.

Totally agree that 110v is electrically safer, but some of the places I've seen transformers perched worries me far more ! 240volts doesn't usually kill you unless you fall badly (which 110v will as well) but one of those dropping twenty foot onto your head even with a hard hat probably will.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes, the EU wanted us to completely abandon the 110V contruction site supplies. In the event, there was a compromise and the 110V is still allowed, but longer a requirement.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Apart from having your brains bashed out by falling transformers.

I once had to fill in an accident report form after being hit on the head by a falling object, and it drawing blood.

It was a first aid box...

[IMM]

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