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I know of one brilliant electronics engineer (numerous patents) who drilled
through a stud into a live wire while holding an electric drill in his hand
in a crawl space. He was electrocuted.
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That Is why all hand-held power tools, battery or line power, amateur or
professional, are double insulated with housings made from plastic, and have
been for 30-odd years. In fact professional tools of this sort used on site
are often run via an isolation transformer to give additional safety,
particularly in wet conditions (situation normal in the UK).
When my dad died, I found in his small workshop his hand held drill - and
old cast metal Black and Decker from the 50's. I took one look at it, and
(with some sadness) consigned it to the dumpster. Not to have done so would
have invited me to use it at some point, and in the event of a flaky ground
wire, have been lethal. I don't know what sort your electrocuted engineer
was using, but it must have been either a long time ago, or he was using a
metal-bodied ancient drill with a bad ground connection and no safety
breakers in the house.
And yes - although I mourned the legislation that prevented DIY to mains
power, I use a professional electrician (a guy called - I kid you not -
Colin Pizzie) because he is so darned quick and competent. I watched him
completely re-wiring our kitchen, power, AV, antenna wiring, during a major
remodelling last year in awe. Eight days that would have taken me forty.
But NOT because I was required to do this because of the law.
Craig
