Originally Posted by
Jamesbeat
I'm actually from England (moved to the States about five years ago) and the rules are a lot more stringent there, probably because mains voltage is 230-240v.
It's actually safer to have high voltage. To achieve the same power usage you need half the current that the US 110V devices need, and current is what will stop your heart. 240VAC will certainly give a good jolt (I was shocked just yesterday - stupidly forgot to unplug a motor before removing a brush). Gave me a kick but that's all.
Electrical devices never used to be tested, and these rules are relatively recent. The reason for it is the ridiculous amount of law suits and responsibility shifting that goes on today. We've had compulsory electrical testing since about 2001.