Electric Shock - Save Yourselves!

Its been a long time when I post my last topic here in Learn Electrical Engineering for Beginners. Although the author of this blog is very busy with his life, he's trying to make a post in order to feed his readers with good information.

It's Christmas time! We're expecting that everyone is busy preparing to celebrate this holiday season. In connection to this, accidents are also very prone this holiday season. There are fires, car accidents and a lot more. One of the topic that I would like to stress now is related to my blog which is Electric/Electrical Shocks which is one of the common accident this Christmas Season.

Electric/Electrical Shock is the injury caused by an electrical current passing through the body. The electricity maybe atmospheric (lightning) or man-made (high-voltage transmission and low-voltage lines). Possible injuries include burns and physiological disturbances, which may range from a minor burn to death in severe cases.

What are the common causes?

• Touching high-tension wires that fall during the storm.
• Touching an electric socket or worn out cord.
• Mixing water and electricity.
• Being struck by lightning. A bolt of lightning carries as many as 30 million volts.

What are the symptoms?

• Shocking sensations. Numbness or tingling. A change in vision, speech, or in any sensation.
• Burns or open wounds. These occur where the electricity enters and exits the body.
• Muscle spasms or contractions.
• Sudden immobility or fractures. A body part may looked deformed.
• Interrupted breathing. Irregular heartbeat or chest pain.
• Seizures.
• Unconsciousness.

What are the steps to save the victim from electric/electrical shocks?

1. The victim usually gets stuck to the source of the electricity, and it important that you first separate him from electrical source.
2. Turn off the power supply switch and disconnect the plug. It's best to simply turn off the main power supply or pull out the fuse. Often, simply turning off the switch may not stop the flow of electricity.
3. DO NOT touch the victim with your bare hand, or the electric current will pass through you as well.
4. Water with electrolyte, fruit/vegetable juice should be given to the victim.
5. If you are barefoot, stand of some clothes or any hand non-conductive material like wood or paper. Make sure that you are not standing on anything that is wet.
6. Throw a blanket over the victim and try to separate him from the source. Make sure you don't touch him though. You could also use dry, non-conductive material such as wooden broom handle or a chair to separate the victim from the live current, whatever is handy.
7. Once the victim has been separated, check to see if he is breathing. If breathing has stopped or seems slow, administer CPR immediately.
8. Cover the victim with a blanket.
9. If the victim has a burn, remove the clothing from the burned area (unless it's stuck to the skin) and rinse it in cool running water. Cover the burn with a dressing.
10. Don't apply ice or any ointment or cotton dressing to the burn.

Video related to electric shock first aid:




I hope I had given you another learnings here in Learn Electrical Engineering for Beginners where you are always safety and have knowledge power!

Have a Merry Christmas to everyone! Stay tune for more post.