Realise reading recent threads about fuse pulling hat when I was still working as a spark I either had a couple of lucky escapes or else was blessed with only coming across SH's in exceptionally good nick.
Back in the 80's when I was trained there was no mention of hard hats, visors and gauntlets and so on, and the (I'd be first to say cavalier) attitude of the trainers at the college was "pull the fuse if you think you need to".
BTW, for anyone who saw my posts earlier in the year when I was wondering whether to come back into the fold and re-register, I've given up on the idea. Cost of joining NIC or NAPIT, etc., far too high, cost of insurance nearing prohibitive, but above all else, I just don't have the appetite for the job I did when I was a kid. The only thing left nagging at me now is that if I need any work done on my own house, I'd be very unhappy doing it myself as I have an in-built hatred of contravening regs and laws, even if everyone around me is doing it, but if I got someone in and knew they were not doing as good a job as I know I could I'd be furious ever after. Guess that's just something I have to live with.
Meanwhile I'm sticking to IT training and keeping my C&G up to date to 17th Ed so I can keep training the kids about electrical safety in the IT industry. Hope no one minds if I keep reading this board and occasionally posting the odd note?
As for SmartMeters, with my CITP hat on I've been very minorly involved in working with a consumer organisation on these and I have to say that everything so far points to them being another government waste of £billions which will open up huge privacy and data risks but, perhaps more importantly, a huge opportunity for any kid with a laptop and a wireless network connection to hack in and remotely disconnect or reconnect supplies. They'll have a fight on their hands getting me to have one for electricity and NEVER for gas (Smart Gas meters are currently designed to have solenoid valves in them to allow remote shut off).... imagine the gas going on and off all over the shop!