Re: Why have the switch ?
No, the socket would not have a fuse -- the fuse is in the plug, the only fuse in circuit would be the 30 amp (or bigger) one in the dist board supplying the ring circuit -- fancy shorting that out?-- no, didn't think so!
Yes the cleaner's vac should have been checked regularly for obvious faults / cable damage but this was years before PAT came in so it probably wasn't checked that often, the plug top had probably been loose for long enough and she had continued to use it like that without getting it seen to until it came apart.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
