A worker was badly burnt when he drove a nail into a mortar-filled concrete chase in a wall and contacted a live conductor of a 415-volt cable. The cable concerned was a mains supply cable to a fuse box.
Recommendations
Everyone should be made aware of the dangers associated with driving fasteners into walls.
If a mains cable is concealed within a chase and may be contacted by fasteners, e.g., nails, loxons etc, the wall concealing the cables should be clearly marked ‘Danger - Electrical Cables concealed in wall’. The marking should show the boundary where the wall is free from cables.
Further information
For more information call WorkCover’s Information Centre on 13 10 50