Claim for Electric Shock

[Triassic]

A friend had a new kitchen fitted, during which the carpenter received a shock from wiring he exposed when removing the extractor fan. He’s now sent a solicitors letter demanding details of any insurance held by the householder. This all sounds suspect to me? Do you have any Thoughts on how to respond?

[ToughButterCup]

Silence in the first instance.  CDM 2015 - the householder is a Doemstic Client? If so, it's nowt to do with the client.

'... Any insurance ....'  ? contents, house, car, 

 

Who contracted the chippy? 

[George]

CDM is criminal law and not civil law so it isn't directly applicable But I agree... unless the client purposefully misled the contractor that the electricity was off and tricked their own control measures to check the electricity was off, I'm not sure how anyone but the contractor is responsible. Does a 240V shock leave long lasting damage?

 

 

[ProDave]

1)  ignore. 

 

2) If he persists ask the CARPENTER what tests he did to "test for dead" and safe isolation practice of the circuit BEFORE he removed the fan and if he isolated at the consumer unit, what lock off device did he use to prevent it being re energised.  Ask for his electrical qualifications, details of test equipment used, and a copy of the calibration certificate for his tester. And ask to see a copy of HIS Public liability insurance policy.

 

That should shut him up.

[Triassic]

1 hour ago, George said:

Does a 240V shock leave long lasting damage?

We have a number of photos of the carpenter playing tenpin bowling the day after the alleged shock event.

[ProDave]

5 minutes ago, Triassic said:

We have a number of photos of the carpenter playing tenpin bowling the day after the alleged shock event.

Unless it was a really serious shock I would expect that to be so.  There is this misconception that an electric shock is usually fatal.  Not from 240V it is not, in most cases it is "ow bugger that hurt" then a minute or 2 later all forgotten.

[Triassic]

Is an electric shock incident reportable to the HSE?

[George]

No, unless they were hospitalised. The bar is quite high: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/reportable-incidents.htm

[Carrerahill]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

Unless it was a really serious shock I would expect that to be so.  There is this misconception that an electric shock is usually fatal.  Not from 240V it is not, in most cases it is "ow bugger that hurt" then a minute or 2 later all forgotten.

Agreed, I have probably had a shock more times than I have fingers to count them on. Luckily each time it's been a fast pull back of the, usually hand, and an OW! That hurt.

 

Clearly you have had your fair share of shocks too. As you know, not a nice thing as it is happening and leaves a funny feeling after the rumbling/throbbing energy running up your, usually arm, but I've forgotten about it pretty damn quick and thought, "what an idiot" and continued on. 

 

It is usually my own fault, most recent I can remember was fault finding a motor on live electric mower, that was one of my not so clever moments, in fairness I was doing live testing of the circuitry and sort of forgot it was still on when I pulled at a live spade terminal! My earliest belt was as a child, I was feeling up to the switch on a table lamp which in fact had no lamp fitted, my fingers found their way into the bayonet socket and I prodded, what was clearly, the live pin! 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Carrerahill

[ProDave]

The only person I know to have had a serious electric shock was a lad at school. He was trying to repair a valve tape deck, the chassis was propped up with a bit of wood.  He got the inevetable shock, but as he pulled back his hand, it knocked the prop out and the chassis dropped on his had trapping it and prolonging the shock.  It was his sister in the next room that heard the screams, ran in and quick thinking kicked the deck off his hand.

 

His hand was badly burned and needed skin grafts over a period of time but he survived to tell the tale.

[Johnnyt]

Do not engage.

Once you acknowledge, you’re in.

He may be on a fishing expedition and you providing him with a blank  could be fruitful to you.

if he’s intent you’ll get a notice before action, that’s when I would look at it more deeply.

in the meantime gather all the details re interested parties and photo the “locus”  

[Canski]

Ignore. There’s loads of carpenters about. 

[Mike]

5 hours ago, Triassic said:

Thoughts on how to respond?

If he does have insurance, it may well include a legal advice line that he could call.

[Onoff]

As a kid 13A plugs were in short supply in our house. We were always swapping them. The one I had I ended up losing the screw so I wrapped an elastic band round the two halves. Unplugging it one day the top came off and grabbed the pins. I think it was more suprise shock than electric shock but I flew backwards and hit the opposite wall. 

[SteamyTea]

3 hours ago, Canski said:

Ignore. There’s loads of carpenters about. 

Yes.

 

[Big Jimbo]

My old mate didn't manage to pull the live wire out of his mouth. He was stripping it with his teeth to re-wire the electric mower. He had lent in through the kitchen window and switched the socket off. Double socket wrong side switched off !. Old re-wire type fuse didn't blow. I was told that his blood had turned black fron literally being boiled. They think it took him several minutes to die. He was 25. That was 1987.  Still miss him.

[Blooda]

On 26/04/2023 at 14:30, ProDave said:

2) If he persists ask the CARPENTER what tests he did to "test for dead" and safe isolation practice of the circuit BEFORE he removed the fan and if he isolated at the consumer unit, what lock off device did he use to prevent it being re energised.  Ask for his electrical qualifications, details of test equipment used, and a copy of the calibration certificate for his tester. And ask to see a copy of HIS Public liability insurance policy.

 

That should shut him up.

Add to that:-

generic Risk Assessment and Method Statements.

Site Specific Risk Assessment and Method Statements. 

And the records of his daily Point of Work Risk Assessments.