CATV coax melted

[ramsy]

..Have I any responsibilities (moral or legal) besides notifying Cableco and homeowner?

Each building department, and property-insurance carrier could answer that question differently, perhaps you should ask yours.

 

[ramsy]

(liability may exist) for 3rd party inspectors, but not for municipal inspectors which is what we have in our area.

If you are referring to the Illinois Tort Immunity Act, 745 ILCS 10/1-101, I see the courts have been reluctant to grant this immunity, and higher courts overrule the immunity, if any number of federal, criminal, or contract laws suggest a tort action, including the willful and wanton misconduct you mention.

I see several case examples dealing with public works, private schools, and wrongful deaths, but in dealing with building inspectors specifically the only case precedent indicated was a supreme court citation below:

1) Municipal liability for negligent performance of building inspector's duties. 24 ALR5th 200.

I'd like to see the decision in that case, since it would apply to other states beyond Illinois, but it was not linked and I can't find it manually. For those who can't access [IL - Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated] here's the 335 Ill. App. 3d 602, description of applicability in 2002.

"Local Government and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, 745 ILCS 10/1-101 et seq., adopts the general principle that local governmental units are liable in tort, but limits this liability with an extensive list of immunities based on specific government functions, and governmental units are liable in tort on the same basis as private tortfeasors unless a valid statute dealing with tort immunity imposes conditions upon that liability."

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Roger,
Nice research...all the more reason for the city not to inspect in this case.
Don

 

[rf1031]

Roger and Don-

I'm new to this forum, grateful for the help I've received here, and I sincerely do not wish to offend anyone. I also know that threads take on a life of their own and that there are probably many people interested in the liability case law. But I am concerned about the immediate safety (the title of this sub-forum) of my clients and their neighbors.

Unless my concerns are completely unfounded (in which case please let me know), may I respectfully ask you to start a new thread on the liability issues or at least wait 'till someone addresses the safety questions first?

I understand and appreciate the suggestion to report/document the problem so as to help with insurance claims, lawsuits, etc. But I'd rather not have any fire or injury in the first place.

With that in mind, my bigger questions remain unanswered:
1)Almost 5 amps current exists upstream of cable co's rooftop splitter/tap and also exists on the new ground line from that tap to rooftop conduit, but does not exist on the house side of the tap. Does this prove problem originates outside the home in question?
2)Is my client or his home in any danger?
3)Are his neighbors in any danger and if so, what can/should I do about it?
4)Have I any responsibilities (moral or legal) besides notifying Cableco and homeowner?

Thanks again to all.

Randy

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Randy,
Theads evolve and this is one of them.
As to your questions, they are very difficult to answer third hand. They can only really be answered by an experienced electrician on site. But..
1) most likely outside of the building ... this is why one of my first questions was, is the current on the line or load side of the required coax grounding connection.
2)maybe
3)maybe...nothing you can do about it other than get the cable company and power utility involved
4)maybe..another liability question...ask you lawyer

Don

 

[nakulak]

if I were you I would send a letter (return receipt requested) to the homeowner notifiying them that, as they are aware, you attempted to fix their cable problem, even incorporating an electrician to help you, but were unable to fix the problem because it appears that there is current coming into their house from the cable. Notify them that they should notify their cable company, their electric company, their building management, and the city inspectors because this is a dangerous situation that could result in fire or accidental death and it is beyond your ability to repair.

send a copy to your insurance liability provider

 

[rf1031]

Does everyone agree with Don? He says "most likely" but I spoke to a grounding troubleshooter in CA (he was called in to see what went wrong when pastor in Texas was electrocuted by microphone/baptismal) who says problem is "definitely" from outside of house if current only flows where I described.

And if so, how could my client be in any danger if current is now shunted to ground on the roof and then there is an AC filter on the coax preventing any ground path into the house?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

"Most likely" because I am not there and have not seen what you have done.

And if so, how could my client be in any danger if current is now shunted to ground on the roof and then there is an AC filter on the coax preventing any ground path into the house?

If the problem still exists on the roof, there is still the possibility of the coax, EGC or conduit that the EGC is connected to getting hot enough to start a fire if the original problem gets worse and there is even more current flowing on the coax.
Also the way I read 820.83, the shield of the interior coax must still be grounded. I am not sure if that is the case after you has the isolator installed.
Note that in a code compliant installation, the coax shield is going to be in parallel with the building grounded conductor and some of the grounded conductor current will be flowing on the coax shield. This is because the code requires the shield to be bonding at each building and the shields are connected together via the coax drop and trunk cables. Under normal conditions this should be a very small amount and will be based on the relative impedances of the paths.
Don

 

[ramsy]

When the roof top cable bond at the splitter, which carries 5+ Amps of stray current, corrodes in the elements or comes loose, the cable shield would carry the current indoors again. That unexpected jolt could be fatal.

The other hazard is the current path from roof top to basement electrical services.

Anyone touching the conduit or plumbing inside the building could create a parallel path to ground. Fatality can occur near 10 milliamps thru the heart. 5 Amp = 500 ma. Even if these pipes are behind walls, building maintenance workers or plumbing contractors would never expect this, and may not be wearing gloves.