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The most vulnerable item is often the cable (sometimes called cord or lead) that supplies the equipment. Most portable equipment is supplied by a flexible cable, which is made up of thin, flexible wires covered in insulation and then enclosed in an overall sheath. The cable may deteriorate due to ageing or environmental effects, fail because of repeated flexing, or suffer mechanical damage. The most obvious examples of mechanical damage are being struck or penetrated by objects. Repeated or excessive flexing will eventually cause the conductor to fracture and the sheath to crack. Damage usually occurs first at the cord grip or gland where the cable enters the equipment or its plug. The damage is usually apparent at the user check and should be reported. The cable should be replaced before a dangerous fault develops, such as exposure of conductors, or possibly arcing between broken conductor ends. Some portable equipment (such as floor- polishers, hedge-trimmers, saws and soldering irons) is capable of causing damage to the sheath, or even to the insulation, of its own flexible cable. The cable should be secured in such a way that it does not come into contact with parts that are moving or hot. The users of such equipment should always be on the alert to avoid such damage. If damage does occur they should stop using the equipment and report it. |
