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Thread: Average body resistance
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11-14-09, 06:44 AM
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http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?do...epth=1&toc.id=
http://www.highvoltageconnection.com...kQuestions.htm
Last edited by iwire; 11-14-09 at 06:46 AM.
#11
Moderator
iwire
Dalziel, using unique methods of persuasion, extreme care and rigorous methods of
testing, amassed a large amount of data from a wide range of tests on approximately
200 volunteers of both sexes and a range of ages. These data provided an excellent
source of information on the physiological effects of electric shock, and Dalziel soon
became a world authority on the subject.
While the resistance of skin and shoes are generally high, the resistance of the internal
human body can be as low as 500 ohms. Thus, if there is a puncture of the skin at the
current path, the shock danger increases dramatically. For purposes of analysis, a value
of 1000 or 1500 ohms is probably more realistic for low or medium voltage cases,
involving wet or firm contact, but with skin intact (reference 3, page 9).
If there is excellent contact with the skin (such as immersing the feet in salt water),
even with the skin intact, the maximum reasonable safe voltage is only 10 V ac. In
addition, on very high voltage circuits, the skin can break down very rapidly, thereby
causing the resistance to decrease severely (reference 3, page 8).
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11-14-09, 09:50 AM
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Michigan. It's a
beautiful penninsula, I've
looked around.
5,432
Your body's resistance can change. Lie detectors measure that change as part of
the test.
Cheers and Stay Safe,
Marky the Sparky
#12
Senior Member
K8MHZ
11-14-09, 10:59 AM
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OK, lots of interesting theories here, I have been teaching this for 20 years to 10's
of thousands of electricians all across North America, can't believe anyone here
didn't attend one of my classes.
There is an IEEE standard, (Std 80-2000) that has all of the real research
compiled, Iwire had some nice links where that info was based off IEEE 80.
The resistance of the human body can vary dramatically depending on several
factors, sex, weight, diet, etc. But really those don;t make much of a difference.
Essentially it is the skin, along with such factors as area of contact, tightness of
contact, dryness or wetness of the skin, and cuts, abrasions, or blisters that
introduce the variables.
Excluding the skin, human body resistance (Internally) is about 250 Ohms per arm
or leg, and 100-500 Ohms for the torso. Unless the skin is punctured, the skin will
provide additional resistance. The worst-case scenario is considered to be 500
Ohms hand-to-hand. Some typical values of skin resistance are:
Condition of contact Resistance (Ohms)
Dry Wet
Finger touch 40 k-1 M 4-15 k
Hand holding wire 15-50 k 3-6 k
Finger-thumb grasp 10-30 k 2-5 k
Hand holding pliers 5-10 k 1-3 k
Hand around pipe (or drill) 1-3 k 0.5-1.5 k
Palm touch 3-8 k 1-2 k
Two hands around pipe 0.5-1.5 k 250-750
Hand immersed -------- 200-500
#13
Senior Member
zog
5/13/2014 Average body resistance - Page 2
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Foot immersed -------- 100-300
Using these typical values, a person can estimate their approximate body
resistance. Lets say a person grabs a wire in a 480/277V panel that they assumed
was deenergized while touching the panel door with the other hand. The worker
would have about:
250 ohms for the arm +
250 Ohms for the other arm +
32,500 Ohms for the skin
A total resistance of about 33,000 Ohms
277V/33,000 Ohms = 8.4 mA (Mild shock)
Now lets look at the same scenario, but this time with wet or sweaty skin.
250 ohms for the arm +
250 Ohms for the other arm +
4500 Ohms for the skin
A total resistance of about 5000 Ohms
277V/5500 Ohms = 55.4 mA (Respiratory Paralysis, possible fibrillation, may be
fatal)
What a difference huh? We can't control when we sweat, or what our skin
resistance will be at any given time. Wearing rubber soled shoes (OSHA
requirement for all electrical workers) and rubber gloves can make all these
variables for skin resistance irrevelent.
Materials Resistance (Ohms)
Rubber gloves or soles More than 20 M
Dry concrete above grade 1-5 M
Dry concrete on grade 0.2-1 M
Leather sole, dry 100-500 k
Leather sole, damp 5-20k
Wet concrete on grade 1-5 k
Now to answer the OP's question. Yes, OSHA used some values to derive the 50V
working rule. They assumed a worse case human body resistance of 500 Ohms
and the 100mA fibrilation threshhold, 500 Ohms times 0.1A = 50V.
11-14-09, 01:31 PM
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Let-go
#14
Senior Member
dana1028
Originally Posted by brother
I know I read somewhere that the 'let go ' range is under 9 milliamps. So maybe they
are thinking that if the 'average' person does touch a hot conductor, then they can still
'let go' at this range.
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You have it - men have a 'let-go' range of ~ 9 milliamps; for women it is ~ 6
milliamps.
I believe GFCI's are rated from 4-6 milliamps [5 milliamps + 1]. GFCI's are primarily
a 'time' device - ie. a GFCI reacts in fractions of a second [forgot how many
cycles], but this is what saves peoples lives; a GFCI doesn't protect you from a
shock, it protects you from being electrocuted by shutting off quickly - before your
heart starts to defibrillate.
I know someone will jump in here and give us a real good explanation, but this is
the jist of it.
11-14-09, 06:02 PM
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This is very enlightening information,especially what Zog and Bob (kinda rhymes)
posted. But what I would like to know is how some one talked 200 people into
letting him hook them up to a damn drop cord:confused:
Organized people are people that are just too lazy to look for their stuff
#15
Senior Member
ceb58
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