The beginning of a new year is a good time to reassess what’s in your toolkit and check you have everything ready for the year ahead. For anyone who works with electricity, test equipment is a priority and in this article, we look at five pieces of kit designed to keep you and others safe out on site.
Lock out kitsWith the average cost of health and safety fines trebling over the last year and around 1,000 serious accidents per year at work due to contact with electricity and 10 times as many involving electricity as a cause of the accident, compliance with Electricity at Work Regulations is clearly a priority for all.
Lock out kits make it easy to ensure all types of circuits can be de-energised and properly isolated prior to maintenance of plant and equipment, preventing potentially fatal accidents and enabling compliance with HSG85.
The LOKKITBASE and LOKKIT2PLUS kits both include standard miniature circuit breaker (MCB) locking off devices and the miniature LOK10 and LOK11 for when access is limited and there is not enough space for a conventional lock. The kits include a PAD11RD padlock with a unique serial number on both key and padlock, plus a marker pen and tags to ensure immediate and clear identification of circuits, work areas and personnel. For added safety, each lock is supplied with just one key, to ensure a circuit cannot be inadvertently unlocked by another user.
Voltage Indicators and proving device
Nothing is more dangerous than trusting a defective voltage indicator to test for a dead circuit. Safe electrical work requires the use of a voltage indicator that has been proved with a proving device before and after use.
The Martindale VIPD150-S contains the VI-15000 voltage indicator and the PD690S proving device, enabling you to comply with health and safety recommendations for safe working.
Based on the industry endorsed VI-13800, the new CAT IV design not only provides improved protection against voltage transients, but also includes a high wattage resistor that will limit the current in the event of damage to the cable in accordance with BS EN61243-3. The protection is built in where it’s needed, in the handheld probe assembly rather than just in the instrument providing superior protection for the user to other testers.
The heavy duty, double insulated cable, large finger guard and a retractable, lockable prod sheath make this the safest, most durable and reliable instrument of its type. The new design complies with the requirements of the latest edition of GS38, Edition 4 2015.
Non-contact detectorDesigned for proving live, these pen-shaped detectors feature a clip, which is ideal for carrying in a pocket or tool belt so that the tester is always to hand for electricians or maintenance staff working at height or in difficult to access locations.
All Martindale models feature a bright LED torch at the point of measurement, together with both audible and visual indication, making them ideal for all types of work area including locations that are poorly lit and have a limited line of sight. The extended clear probe tip makes it easier to identify the source of the live voltage or magnetic field through improved access and brighter indication.
The CM Series range of professional clamp meters make it easy to choose the right tool for the job every time. Whether it’s low current AC, or DC for solar PV and battery systems, the equipment gets the job done. The pocket-sized clamp range includes the CM55 AC Clamp, CM57 TRMS AC Smart Clamp and the CM79 TRMS AC/DC Clamp, combining outstanding specification and measuring capabilities with reliability and ease of use.
The clamps meet the exacting requirements of electricians and service teams working on both AC and DC systems, from basic AC measurements through to min/max monitoring of start-up and charging currents. All the clamps are auto-ranging and measure current to better than 2% accuracy.
Socket testers are not an alternative to the formal verification of wiring installations; nonetheless, as a first line indicator, they are an essential tool. Many socket testers on the market, such as the comprehensive CP series from Martindale Electric for instance, provide a quick and easy way of confirming 16 and 32 Amp (A) sockets are wired correctly using three bright illuminated LEDs and feature an on-tester look up chart for fast and simple fault diagnosis.
Safe Isolation Saves Lives
TEK100 Series Voltage tester choices