I tend to agree with Greg on fuses providing better protection for certain loads.
And, yes by all means someone is supposed to check to determine why the fuse blew, or the breaker tripped. This is dependent on way too many variables to discuss now. Back in the days of Edison base plug fuses, you would learn really quick to check the loads before you screwed in a new fuse. The same for <30 amp 250 volt cartridge fuses with the line side still 'hot'. Today we have 'finger safe' fuseholders, and plug fuses are mostly artifacts.
I once showed an apprentice class that I was doing a slide of the various fuse amperage, and fuse types. There were some heads spinning. Not just the standard 'sizes' within the NEC, but the 'stock' sizes from the mfg.
