Introduction to

Electrical Safety

Outline of Presentation
Identify the four types of injury
relating to electrical incidents.
Understand key facts relating to
electric shock.
Recognize the effects of
electricity on the human body.

Electrifying Statistics
From 1992-2002, there were 3,378
deaths from on-the-job electrical
injuries.
Thats 4.7% of all occupational deaths.
Thats almost one death per day!
Electricity is the 4th leading cause of
injury-related occupational death

Electrifying Statistics
Contact with overhead power
lines was the leading cause of
electrocutions, causing 42% of
the deaths.
The second leading cause of
electrocutions was failure to
properly de-energize equipment.

Electrifying Statistics
The third most common cause
was contact with electrical
components mistakenly thought
to be de-energized.
Contact with buried, underground
power lines caused 1% of the
fatalities.

Electrifying Statistics
Non-fatal injuries were also high, with
46,598 from 1992 through 2002 .
36% were caused by contact with the
electric current of a machine or tool.
34% were caused by contact with wiring
or transformers.
2% were caused by contact with buried,
underground power lines.

Types of Electrical Injury

Other Injury To Human Beings Related to

Electricity
Other injury to human beings can be in the
form of,
Eye injury
Injury due to microwave and radio
frequency
Accidents from handling batteries and
lead accumulators

Electric Shock
It is the effect on human body due to electric
current flowing through the body especially
affecting nerves.
Its intensity depends on the magnitude of
current and the body resistance.
Most serious electric shock are due to ac
current.
The threshold current that can cause serious
electric shock is 5mA at 50 Hz or 500 mA at
100 kHz. As for d.c , electric shock can be felt
at 15 V.

BURNS
1. Electrical Burns - Burns that occur due to high
currents flowing through the human body when the
body is in direct contact with a current conductor
or when the body is in contact with a hot surface.
Tissue damage occurs because the body is unable to
dissipate the heat from the current flow.
2.Arc Burns - Burns can also be due to arc fires
from short-circuits.
3.Thermal Contact Burns - Burns may also occur due
to induced heating. Therefore, do not touch any
metals when working with an induced heater or hot
surfaces of overheated electric conductors.

EYE INJURY
Eye injury is usually due to exposure to high
intensity UV radiation from electric arcs.
The effect is that the eyes become red and
painful for a few hours and then a temporary
loss of vision.
A permanent eye injury may be due to exposure
to microwave radiation.
Energy from microwave and radio frequency can
destroy body cells especially the eyes. The
maximum allowable energy is 1 mW per cm2.

Accidents from Handling Batteries and Lead

Accumulators
Accumulators that are under charging conditions will
emit hydrogen gas and can produce an environment that
can cause an explosion. Therefore, accumulators should
be charged in an environment that has a good air flow.
Care must be taken when handling batteries especially at
the series connector.

Rules of Electrical Action

Electric current wont flow until
there is a complete loop.
Electric current always tries to
return to its source.
When current flows, work can be
accomplished.

How Shock Occurs

The body comes into contact with wires in an
energized circuit.
The body comes into contact with one wire of an
energized circuit and a path to the ground. (steppotential)
The body comes into contact with a hot
metallic part that is touching an energized
conductor. (touch-potential)

Severity of Shock depends on

The path of the current through the body.
The amount of current flowing through the
body.
The length of time the body is in the circuit
or duration of contact.
Body mass.
Gender of person.
Moisture on the body.

The Human Body Resistance Model

Body Part

Resistance

Dry, intact skin

100,000-600,000 ohms

Wet skin

1,000 ohms

Within the body

400 ohms

Ear to ear

100 ohms

Photo courtesy of Schneider Electric

Photo courtesy of Schneider Electric

Photo courtesy of Schneider Electric

What the Project Manager Felt

1. The drill had 120 volts.
2. The project managers dry skin
had a resistance of 100,000 ohms.
3. The flow into the project
managers hand was
120 volts/100,000 ohms, 0.0012
amps, or 1.2 milliamps.

What the Apprentice Felt

1. The drill had 120 volts.
2. The apprentices wet skin had a
resistance of 1,000 ohms.
3. The flow into the apprentices
hand was 120 volts/1,000 ohms,
0.12 amps, or 120 milliamps.

Facts About Lower Amperage

A small circuit in your home
carries 12-16 amps of current.
That equals 12,000 to 16,000
milliamps.
As weve learned, as little as 120
milliamps can cause death.
Low amperage/voltage circuits
are dangerous!