Re: Electrical Wire Safety (Underground)

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

At 12:18 PM 3/12/2004, Matt Harding, you wrote:

> Speaking of England, what's up with the pull cord light switches
>  in the bathrooms?  In my experience, the pull cord was always
>  a natural fiber,   never metal like you might find in the US.
>  Is there a significantly  greater risk of shock in a British
>  bathroom, or is this simply done for  tradition's sake?
> MJH

I don't know that fiber pull cords are installed there
for any reason other than "we always made 'em that way",
but still, it must be true that the electrical risk
 is greater, though different, there.

Despite household currents as low or lower than in the U.S.,
screw-nuts are not used in Britain, and are well-used here.
Accordingly, electrical fires are the U.S. common-place,
 but there people are electrocuted. Foot-level outlets were
 once dangerous to children,  so guarded outlets are now
legislated which open only on contact with a fused-plug,'s
ground blade.



Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!