⚡️LIVE WORKING⚡️ - DO ELECTRICIAN'S NEED TO USE INSULATED TOOLS?

Almost every electrician's tool is available as an insulated version from screwdrivers and side cutters to hacksaws and socket sets.

Do you really need them? - Joe Robinson takes a look at the Electricity at Work Act and insulated tools.

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#efixx #electricianstools

[efixx]

#AD Product featured - Wiha Slim Vario 31 Piece Set

[sstorholm]

I personally never trust anything to be dead just because I’m paranoid, so I just use insulated tools. Saves carrying 2 sets of tools as well. Some are for special occasions though, like my insulated spanners that only gets used on battery banks etc, since all my other spanner-work is almost always non-electrical, or just bonding for example.

[sjholmesbrown]

What I tell my apprentices:
"We use insulated tools exclusively for the same reason we confirm isolation after locking off.
Because 'I thought it wasn't live' makes for a crappy tombstone."

[farmersteve]

I tend to always use the insulated tools because then I'm familiar with the feel and handling of them, plus there's less temptation to pick up the wrong tool when working live.

[dominicrashleigh]

I would say if you have them you might as well use them not only are they good quality tools built to a high standard it also looks more professional from the clients perspective. Above all that I enjoy and take pride in using the best quality tools that are available for me to use 😁

[DonMorte]

Look at it like a seat belt... for the vast majority of the time you'll be fine driving about not wearing one but that one time you do need it you'll be bloody glad you put it on!

[uk]

I can never trust a terminal is dead, I should get some insulated Allan keys as I hate sticking the bare metal ones in to mccb breakers even when I've checked and double checked it's dead.

[asderven]

I have started building lifepo4 batteries. Using insulated tool is a life saver because dc batteries never die :D. It is not because it is to save me, but more along the lines to save the expensive equipment that goes around setting up a battery box. Don't want to accidentally short out the bms, shunt, inverter because I was too lazy to put the tool 20 cm further away.

[GARRYEASTON]

Electricians should use insulated tools all the time. Apart from 1st fix work. We all make mistakes and having insulated screwdrivers and cutters keeps us alive.

[robertburrows]

I worked live quite a few times., These have been in factories, commercial premises, hospitals and care homes, or in domistic properties were there is a person that has medical equipment, . A car factory such as Fords .is not going to let you shut down productions as a cost of several million of pounds per hour because you need to connect a new 3 phase board in a live busbar panel . I've had to install sockets into a computer room working live, as major builders merchant need there computers to have 24 hours contact with all there outlets . I have changed lights in hospital wards working live, so yes there many places were you have to work live . Your not just working with insulated tools but there PPE such as flash guards, insulated gauntlets. Also the DNO guys in the streets work live. I was privilege a few months ago where DNO sparkies allowed me to watch them change a transformer live, and no one in the area knew the transformer was changed, they did by connecting a temporary transformer in parallel with the old transformers. It's one of the joys of being a sparks is working live

[PurityVendetta]

I find that good quality insulated tools just feel better in the hand and, should there ever be an issue there is that added protection. I still have a lovely set of Britool insulated spanners originally issued by one of the electricity distribution companies. They are a treat to use.

[craigbuist]

I always use insulated tools but my biggest bug bear is when someone think the insulated screwdriver is a chisel 😡

[peterryan]

I was working with a sparky last week (on a disconnected DB) who broke a large flat blade insulated Wiha on a 415v breaker. He then asked me for my non insulated full tang stanley. So yeah horses for courses.

[TheUKSpark]

Like you said Joe mistakes happen and I would rather have that extra protection in my hand than not. It's your life or having to pay £30 on a new pair of cutters. Just makes sense to have VDE tool at all times.

[marceloavalos]

Insulated tools are in themselves more expensive, I personally agree that they are used when the occasion warrants it

[Foxtrot-jrqu]

It really depends on the electrician. While I do agree that absolutely every electrician should have at least a couple of screwdrivers, one or two pliers and cutters, the vast majority of the electricians rarely works on live wires. Some people are saying - ''yeah but what if someone accidentally turns the power on'', well in that case, it's still a huge gamble, because you still wouldn't know that and you still can touch something with a bare hand. The best way to be 100% sure that nothing will go wrong is to first make sure that what you is completely off by first turning the power off and then use your multimeter/clamp meter to confirm that. The second thing is to either lock the electric box with a padlock or insist that someone from your team should stay near the electric box and warn others not to touch it. I've talked to many master electricians and none of them ever had an issue by following these procedures.

I also use both insulated and regular tools, because not not every electrician tool can be insulated and I find some of them practically useless. I also find them way more fragile and prone to damage than regular tools and they are also way more expensive. So, if I go to a building that doesn't even have cables on it, I most certainly don't need any of my insulated tools, but for any maintenance, repair or whatever, I will always bring the ones I need and use the most, but it really depends on the situation and the task at hand.

[christastic]

I would suggest There is a valid reason to work live during testing to check the tightness of the tails that are sealed by the cut out during that part of the test that asks are all connections in the consumer unit secure/tight . Otherwise only specialty trained persons with all relevant equipment

[UberAlphaSirus]

Tbh I always use insulated
1. I don't want to absent mindedly use non insulated on live stuff
2. A good non insulated driver cost about the same as insulated.
3. I'm a creature of habit, if I like a tool. I would always use that one, even if I had 100 others.

[glenwoofit]

Use rubber gloves or heat shrink your standard tool shafts.

[plusinstalaciones]

Yes, as a trained and qualified electrician not every time in every case can you just isolate and work away. I always use insulated VDE tools, do you need to? Not always but I'm used to it and I believe most sparks do apart from our USA Brothers and sisters