Saw some shoddy panel work at a diner in Lubbock last week

I was eating at a place called The Rancher off I-27 and noticed the main panel had a knock out missing with wires just hanging loose. The cover was held on with a zip tie instead of screws. Has anyone else seen stuff like this in restaurants and reported it?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamieb801mo ago

The zip tie on the cover is bad enough but the missing knockout with wires hanging loose means anyone cleaning near there could get shocked. Most people just see a messy panel and don't realize that loose wires can touch metal and start a fire, especially with all the grease in a kitchen. You should call the fire marshal on the non-emergency line since they take electrical hazards way more seriously than the health department.

john_fisher1mo ago

Only thing I'd add is that those loose wires aren't just a shock risk. If a mouse or cockroach crawls in through that missing knockout and gnaws on the insulation, you've got a short circuit that can start a fire with nobody around to notice until it's too late.

phoenix_bailey1mo agoMost Upvoted

Start by looking around any commercial kitchen and you'll see this same stuff everywhere. People get so focused on cleaning the grill and mopping the floor that they completely miss the death traps hanging on the walls. I've noticed this pattern in all kinds of places, not just restaurants. Walk through a grocery store or a laundromat and count how many electrical panels have stuff stacked in front of them or covers held on with tape. Nobody wants to spend money fixing what they can't see, so they just hope it doesn't blow up until someone else has to deal with it.