Who deals with dangerous practices by kitchen installer?

sisalka

We had a kitchen installed two years ago. Our electrician provided and looked after all the sockets, fused switches etc according to the installers requirements. A few days ago, I turned on the extractor hood light, then tried to switch on the extractor, which cut out completely when I had my finger on the button.
We discovered that the kitchen installer had jammed a European two pin plug into a three pin plug - so against the manufacturers requirements the appliance was not earthed.
The installers then stuffed the cable into the fan housing. The fan scraped away at the cable until it had reached the blank copper cabling. I am extremely lucky that I didn't get electrocuted as the extractor - including the buttons - is metal.
I am now thinking of actually reporting the company, but who to? The Health and Safety Authority only seems to deal with work place issues. The Consumer Agency seems to deal with warranty issues. I would hate to think that they have done similarly dangerous stuff in other people's houses that cause fires or kill people (with the general attitude they showed and are still showing I would not be surprised by anything).
We called them today and they immediately started making excuses, that it has been a while since the installation (and what exactly does that have to do with the dangerous installation???) and that there would have been a noise. Yes a fan noise pal. And even if there is a noise, how does that absolve the criminally negligent installation?
Anybody know who I should be talking to in regard to rogue installers like this? Next stop RTE's consumer show or lifeline? There has to be someone dealing with stuff like this other than the media.

VincePP

No real issue in putting a 2 pin plug into a 3 pin socket. Products classified as double insulated (class II) do not require a connection to electrical earth as the risk of the case, or other user touchable components becoming live due to a failure, is greatly diminished. Therefore the use of an earth connection is not required.

So I would advise before accusing anyone of any wrongdoing get facts right and don't jump to conclusions.

As its 2+ years since installation any amount of other issues could have caused the cable to get into that position.

So you can either rant and rave and let this affect you and in the end get nowhere as there is no proof of wrongdoing and hence without absolute proof you simply cannot make your accusations stand.

Or you can simply get it corrected and move on and check future work when its done.

slimjimmc

You could contact the ETCI though I'm not sure if they have any authority in such matters, considering the problem is a badly connected plug-in appliance rather than a fixed-wired installation. Appliances with 2 pin plugs are double insulated so don't use an earth but the fan wearing away the cable is an issue (fire in particular).
http://etci.ie/

VincePP

also, the manufacturer of the elctrical item supplies the item with the required plug, (legal requirement) so if you have an issue with the 2 pin plug it is with the manufacturer, but they'll give you the answrer I gave above.

I wold also estimate that if it was installed incorrectly, then the issue would have come to fore way way way long ago assumign you use the fan on a regular basis and not once every 6 months.

My guess, and it is a guess, is the wire from the fan simply moved at some stage and over time got closer to the blades and then caused a cut out (which would have immediately let to the breaker switch cutting out thus not putting you in any danger at all)

Sorry, but I can't see any blame whatsoever on someone who installed it 2 years ago.

sisalka

Thanks for the helpful info slimjimmc. I probably didn't describe the plug correctly, it is round and has an earth connections - two metal bits at the side that would touch the earth connection in a European socket. We are not talking the two prong flat plugs that you would find for example on a razor. This appliance needed to have an Irish plug put on it to be installed safely. The fire issue had occurred to us as well, since there is only the usual stud wall at the back.
I'll have a look at the ERCI website. Thanks again.

brightspark

Have you contacted the company involved, perhaps it was just caused by a bad employee?


I'm guessing the reason it cut out completely when you touched it was that you tripped the RCD, that is what saved you from getting a dangerous electric shock.

the_pen_turner

I think we need to see a pic of the plug to see if it is safe.
the wire shouldn't be in the appliance. that's probably the electricians fault. the kitchen guys put it in there to protect it during fitting but the spark didn't pull it all out.

im assuming the fan is recirculating the air . on the fans I have fitted (carpenter) the recirculated air is engaged by flocking the hole out to the outside and usually there is no way for anything to get near the fan. if the air is blowing out through a hole like that there you shoud probably have it vented outside

the_pen_turner

I think we need to see a pic of the plug to see if it is safe.
the wire shouldn't be in the appliance. that's probably the electricians fault. the kitchen guys put it in there to protect it during fitting but the spark didn't pull it all out.

im assuming the fan is recirculating the air . on the fans I have fitted (carpenter) the recirculated air is engaged by flocking the hole out to the outside and usually there is no way for anything to get near the fan. if the air is blowing out through a hole like that there you shoud probably have it vented outside