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Insulated Shovels

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tolshar
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Insulated Shovels

Post by tolshar »

I work for a Utilities company and the majority of our guys use the long wooden handled Cornish Shovels.

Some of our customers want all of our tools (including our shovels) to be 'shock proof' and comply with BS8020:2011. We can do this with every tool except for the Cornish Shovels.

Some people say that the long wooden handled Cornish Shovel already complies with BS8020 but I want to be absolutely sure and I don't want to spend a small fortune on purchasing a copy of BS8020:2011 just to be sure.

Even if I did buy the BS, I am not sure that it will answer my query as what I really want to know is will the wooden handle withstand a shock of 1000 volts? It might when it's bone dry but does it comply when its wet for example?

Can any one help?
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bernicarey
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Re: Insulated Shovels

Post by bernicarey »

Simple answer is to take a look at a new one and see what the label say; after that, contact the manufacturer for their spec.

I suspect the answer will be that they do not meet the BS, as they're generally man made insulated materials for the handles.
But then wood is a good insulator, so I guess it could be treated to meet the spec.
Be interested to know if you do find a manufacturer that can provide for you. .salut
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tolshar
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Re: Insulated Shovels

Post by tolshar »

Finding a supplier is proving difficult and although we have managed to get one lined up, I don't really want to spend out all of that money to buy new insulated shovels if the wood ones meet the BS already.
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bernicarey
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Re: Insulated Shovels

Post by bernicarey »

tolshar wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:39 pm Finding a supplier is proving difficult and although we have managed to get one lined up, I don't really want to spend out all of that money to buy new insulated shovels if the wood ones meet the BS already.
That's why I said to ask the manufacturer, i.e. of the ones you currently use. Is there not an invoice laying around, or one with a makers details on it? .salut
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tolshar
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Re: Insulated Shovels

Post by tolshar »

We haven't bought the new 'insulated' ones yet. At the moment we have the old wooden handled ones. The Supplier wants us to buy the new insulated ones which he knows meet with the BS. He is almost certainly like us and doesn't know if the old wooden handled ones do or don't comply and even if he did know that they did comply, he isn't likely to tell us as he will loose a potential sale.
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Re: Insulated Shovels

Post by bernicarey »

Forget the 'supplier.'

Who's the manufacturer of the wooden handle ones that you are currently using?

As I've said twice already, ask the manufacturer!

If the supplier and the manufacturer are one and the same because you're buying direct, then ask a different manufacturer.
www.belvoirsafety.co.uk

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