Asbestos backboard removal- Who's responsible?

It’s an earth Blastoise, connected to the Open earth bar and connected to the outer shield of the incoming cable. Zero potential

Looking back at your picture @Steve-o , I wonder if they’ve looked at the white background (wall?) and presumed that was part of the backboard. The engineers might have looked at the notes rather than examined the board fully … just a thought

The screws on the board look like they’re aged well enough to indicate the boards been there for a considerable time. We can’t rule out asbestos unless @Steve-o has already had the board/wall tested which confirms it. It may be worthwhile having this tested if you haven’t already to confirm the presence of asbestos. 

If you get the results and they are clear then it would make getting the backboard changed a step easier! 

Keep us updated on your progress with this one I will be following this topic closely! 

This has led me into a veritable rabbit warren. As far as I can make out*, a meter engineer who aborts a task because he suspects asbestos may be present should complete a report to that effect and hand a copy to the customer. This should also be recorded on the customer’s account, which is why there is presumably a ‘predicted abort’ flag on Steve’s. The report should detail where precisely the nasty stuff is, and the engineer should have left a warning sticker (BP’s engineers have left at least four different stickers over the years), but I can’t see one in your picture. Perhaps you could ask Support if they can send you a copy of the report(s) if they exist.

There is one other avenue to explore: your local council’s environmental health department. A good EHO¹ should be able to advise you how to proceed and might even conduct a site survey if one of his parishioners is at risk.  

*  Source: meteroperators.org.uk/download/asbestos-guidance-document_2019/?wpdmdl=8715

 

1. Strictly off-topic: I had a good friend, a retired gentleman. People were always asking him what he did before retiring, and his answer was always ‘ratcatcher’. I eventually learnt that he had a PhD in biology and been for many years the head of the environmental health department for a large local authority in the whisky belt. He would have come to look at your asbestos-infested meter cupboard.

Not sure who the DNO is but here UKPN seem to suggest that they would coordinate things .. I have seen different comments depending on region and ownership 

I assumed SSEN, going by “we’ve been sent back and forth between OVO and Scottish and Southern ...” in the OP. 

I had a quick look at your UKPN site and see that they’re pretty clued up as regards this asbestos business. I searched the equivalent SSEN site, but not a whisper about asbestos there. Some DNOs are more equal than others.

When I had recent work done by UKPN they asked me to send a short video of the meter area which meant no surprises when they arrived. A very useful idea.

Amazing suggestion @juliamc. I think with this type of scenario the more detail and information we have the better 🙂

Account number is **Removed by Mod** Cliff

I asked OVO to replace my Econ7 meter 3 months ago. An ‘engineer’ called on 17 July, took a quick look at the meter cupboard and said ‘never seen that before, distributor will need to deal with wiring before meter can be swapped’ and drove off after about 10 minutes. I later got an email saying DNO had been notified and should make an appointment within 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I contacted OVO on Chat and was told DNO had been informed. I phoned DNO who knew nothing of it. After making numerous queries and complaints I finally got told this week the problem was ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ and DNO had responsibility to rectify. I have several issues with this (incidentally I’ve read all the online help on this kind of issue I can find)

1. I complained that OVO should have told me about asbestos at the time of the visit. No response from OVO.
2. I complained ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ told me nothing - where exactly was the asbestos alleged to be, and how did the ‘engineer’ reach this conclusion on the basis of a brief visual inspection. How could I discuss the matter with DNO in this state of ignorance? No response from OVO.
3. I pointed out several times that there was no DNO equipment in the meter cupboard so why is the DNO being held responsible. The main fuse and cut-off are on the wall opposite and the ‘engineer’ did not even look at them. No response from OVO.
4. I have asked to see the OVO ‘engineer’s’ report and the request made to the DNO. No response from OVO.
5. I have pointed out this is time critical and should be priority because of RTS withdrawal. No response received.
6. I have pointed out that the warnings OVO gave about RTS were completely inadequate, just generic warnings like ‘your meter may not work’ with no explanation why or description of the consequences. No response received.

I attach pictures of meter cupboard. Nothing unusual I can see except defunct Horstmann meter left it situ when Schlumber Econ7 installed so they didn’t have to bother with rewiring. The blue/brown/earth wiring was installed three years ago when entire property rewired and new customer unit installed.

The DNO is SSEN.

Any advice how I can get OVO to confront their responsibilities and respond to legitimate queries and complaints? It’s above the pay grade of the help/complaints staff. All they can do is look at what the computer tells them and may not understand the issues. There are only two directors for the entire company and no mention of technical advisors.

Also any advice on what is likely to happen when RTS withdrawn if this doesn’t get resolved. I understand the meter may be jammed ‘on’ at the day or night rate or ‘off’ and not record anything. 

I am not an electrician.

There must be many thousands of people in this position.