Shockers

These old fabric covered cables were in use bot fell apart when I touched them.

Found in use in student accomodation, in what was there smoking shed.  The fitting is broken leaving live parts accessible to touch.

Over time the basic insulation covering the cooper degrades.  I found the split on the live cable inside a consumer unit.

A PAT test might have saved this extension lead, but it should still be in use!!

Look what happened to the cable laid loosely above the polystyrene ceiling tiles.  It got that hot it nearly melted its way right through them.

A "Have a Go Hero" decided to attach some christmas lights to his lighting circuit using cable suitable for a door bell.  The resulting explosion must have added some lighting

When I did replace it the insulation crumbled away revealing green oxidised copper.

Old corded flex stretched taught to provide power to a fluorescent tube.  The insulation on these cables if fabric based and can crumble away.  It should have been properly replaced rather than this botch of a job

If you loose a screw out of an electrical fitting, get another screw, don't jam in a picture hook

Unsheathed earths can cause faults by touching the live or neutral terminals when faceplates are pushed back, or in the event of a fault can arc, which if a fire hazard.