ELECTRICAL FATALITIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 99, 23 October 1936, Page 8

ELECTRICAL FATALITIES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln reference to the Coroner's inquest published in Wednesday's issue of the "Evening Post." The Coroner stated: "Some of .us tamper with electrical connections." This is contrary to Regulation 219, Page 58 of the "Electrical Supply Regulations, 1927," which reads as follows:—"Do not permit anyone except a person registered or licensed under the Electrical Wiremen's Act, 1925, to repair, alter, or make additions to your electrical installation (penalty under above Act; £20)." This regulation should be given more publicity and most rigidly carried into force. Mr. Swindell was perfectly justified in making his statement regarding" the sale of unsafe apparatus. These goods should not be permitted to be sold to the public. People can be stopped from buying cheap stuff by prosecuting shopkeepers who stock dangerous electrical equipment. _ I do not agree with Mr. Swindell when he stated that "the City Council is only concerned with the distribution of its current, and that the human element does not come into it at all.. I have been working in this city for the past eleven years as a registered electrical wireman and haye always found the council electrical inspectors most thorough in their testing of installations. Should there be any danger of an electric hazard on a job they will not pass it for connecting to thensupply until such hazard has been removed. . . . • At • the present time there is being carried out by the electricity % department a reinspection of all installations. This is carried out every five years. When inspectors commence their testing in a certain area the news passes rapidly from door to door and a guilty, consumer quickly dismantles-some of his own little additions to his lighting installation and hides -.the, evi-j dence. After the inspection the untested equipment may be used again as the consumer thinks.he is safe from detection for another'five years. This makes it very difficult for, the inspec-, tors to condemn faulty^apparatus. Inspectors should be permitted to inspect any installation anywhere and at any time, thus enabling them to detect! these cases. Until the council increases its staff of inspectors and the. Courts impose a heavy V*^*£* | every conviction these fatalities, which are far too numerous/will not dimin-

ish.—l am, etc;, '_ ELECTRICAL WIREMAN.