Machine operators can sometimes be a pain in the backside too, many years ago I was asked to install a machine in a small factory, I went and had a look, it was nothing big, no problem at all really, or at least it shouldn't have been!
I arranged the day to do the work, gathered the materials and on the agreed day I arrived around 8.30 to carry out the work, I ran a cable from the nearby dis board to an isolator and from there ran the cable to the machine, connected all the ends up, did the dead tests, then turned on the isolator, did a loop test and finally a test to check the phase sequences were correct.
I called for the factory owner and told him we were all ready to go, we just needed the operator to actually run the machine as a final test, that's when it all started to get unpleasant! The owner wanted me to run the machine up, now, it's one thing to start a compressor, or a conveyor, or any of the machines I happen to be familiar with. This machine, however, was different, I'd never even seen one, let alone operated one, no way was I starting it up, that's how accidents happen.
Anyway, it turned out that they'd bought this machine, but nobody knew how to operate it, "I thought it was part of your job, showing us how it works" the manager informed me, "no, my job is to connect it up and that's it" I replied. "well, in that case, I don't think you'll be getting paid" he replied sarcastically, I opened the door on the control panel and removed my test lamps from where they were hanging around my neck. "watch this" I told him, I took one probe and jabbed it in the incoming neutral terminal, then jabbed the other one into L1, it lit, then L2, again it lit, finally, I jabbed it into L3. "now, do you agree that there is power to this machine? " I asked, he nodded, "well yes, but", I interrupted him, "but nothing, my job is to get a supply to that machine and that's the end of it, I have no idea how it works or what it does, so I'm not starting it up". He gave me a funny look then added, "but suppose it doesn't work?" Look mate, it's got it's supply and that's the end of it, I ain't starting it and I want paying" he opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off, "put it this way, it'll take a lot less time to take the cables out than it did to put them in, and I'll make sure nobody else will touch the job" I added, and I meant it.
This seemed to have the desired effect because he suddenly suggested we head back to his office while we sorted out the bill. There was no way I was starting that machine, imagine the problems if I'd broken it, or worse still hurt somebody.
