BANG!
A little different, our desks were moved (I was working on the Helldesk at the time) and BOFH sent the PFY down to move the power and networking tank in the floor.
I don't know what I had done on that day to annoy the BOFH and the PFY, but the PFY rotated the tank 90° before plugging it back in (which should have been impossible, but you know the PFY and prodding things in holes where they don't belong)...
Anyway, long story short, I plugged in my PC and BANG! A 2 foot spark shot out the back of the PC's power supply, accompanied by an ear splitting bang and lots of smoke. I regretted that I had started with the PC, the monitor was on its last legs, but management wouldn't replace it.
Now, I am the local BOFH.
In another office, in Germany, the wall sockets have the earth exposed, so that it is the first thing that gets contact when plugging in equipment - it is also jolly useful when using anti-static equipment, you just clip it onto a spare earth prong... Only the electrician must have been half asleep as he wired up the socket in my office. I was standing against the window, concentrating on my whiteboard, when I lost my balance and reached out for the windows ledge behind me. I missed and stuck my hand in the socket. Not a problem, the earth gives a little jolt if you have a lot of static build-up on your body (nylon clothing, for example), but otherwise totally harmless.
Only, ZAP! I was flung away from the wall and my shoulder hurt badly and my whole arm, come to think of it! I reported it to the technicians, they didn't believe me, until they stuck a tester on the earth prong... The electrician had crossed the earth and phase, so the full 230v were flowing through the earth prong! I had a lucky escape, all things considered.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
