Electric shocks can result in:
Slight shocking sensations
Muscle spasms, or muscle and tissue damage
under the skins surface
Seizures
Interrupted breathing
Irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrest
Third-degree burns (at the spots where the
electricity enters and exits the body)
Unconsciousness
Death
People can be electrocuted when they touch high-tension wires that fall during a storm or are struck by lightning. A bolt of lightning carries as many as 30 million volts, more than 250,000 times the voltage of ordinary household current. July is the most dangerous month for lightning in the Northern Hemisphere.
Take care when rescuing someone who has been electrocuted so you do not become a victim as well.
Prevention
Take a first-aid course
that covers electrical burns, electric shocks, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Install ground-fault circuit-interrupters
(GFCIs) in wall outlets located in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, garages, and outdoor
boxes. These act as circuit breakers. When an electrical appliance falls into water, the
current is instantly cut off.
Replace worn cords and wiring.
Cover all electric sockets with plastic
safety caps so children can't stick their fingers or a metal object in the sockets.
Never use an electrical appliance like a
radio or curling iron near water. Only buy hair dryers and curling irons that have
built-in shock protectors.
Never turn electrical switches on or off or
touch an electric appliance while your hands are wet, while standing in water, or when
sitting in a bathtub.
Know the location of fuse boxes and circuit
breakers in your home and place of work. Remove the appropriate fuse or switch off the
circuit breaker before doing household electrical repairs. Turning off the appliance or
light switch is not enough.
Pay attention to weather warnings. A
weather warning means severe weather is coming your way.
To avoid being harmed by lightning:
Take shelter in a building, if you can.
Stay in your car (if it is not a convertible) rather than out in the open.
If you are caught outside, avoid tall trees, open water, and high ground. Look for a
ravine or
other low-lying place and crawl in. If you are
out in the open, curl up on the ground, head to knees,
with your head touching the ground. Don't
touch items that contain metal, such as golf clubs.
If you are indoors, stay away from windows, appliances, water pipes, and telephones with
cords.
| Has the person received a shock from a high-voltage wire? {Note: Do not try to remove the person from the wire, and stay at least 20 feet away. Act fast. Call 911 or the operator and state the problem and the location of the high-voltage wire.}  |
 |
| Has the person been struck by lightning? {Note: You will not get an electric shock from someone who has been struck by lightning.) If the person has no heartbeat and is not
breathing, do CPR. (See CPR.) If the person has a heartbeat, but is not
breathing, start rescue breathing. (See Airway and Breathing.)} |
|
| Has the person received a shock from low-voltage current? {Note: See First Aid Tips for Shock from Low-Voltage Current below.) |
|
| Has the person received a mild shock and does his or her heart
keep skipping beats? |
|
| After getting an electric shock, does the person have a fever or
cough up sputum? |
 |
First Aid for Shock from Low-Voltage
Current
Do these things until emergency care arrives:
Switch off the current, if
possible, by removing the fuse or switching off the circuit breaker.
Do not touch the person who is in contact
with electricity.
If you can't turn off the source of
current, use a board, wooden stick, rope, or other non-conducting device to pull the
victim away from the source of the electric current. Make sure your hands and feet are dry
and you are standing on a dry surface.
If it is safe for you to touch the
victim:
Check for heartbeat and breathing. Feel for a pulse along the neck, under the earlobe,
on the chest, or on the wrist. Watch the rise
and fall of the chest to see if the person is
breathing. If you find no heartbeat and no
breathing, do CPR. (See CPR.)
If there is a heartbeat but no breathing, immediately start rescue breathing. (See Airway
and Breathing.)
Check for burns and treat as third-degree burns. (See Burns.)
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/21/99