Electrical Injury

Electrical injury is happen in many workplace area and exposes worker to serious injury till death and about 1,000 people die annually of electric shock in the United States. It is happen caused worker or workplace area didn't set up with safety condition or low worker understanding to electrical management. Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution.

Electrical injury causes:

• Accidental contact with exposed parts of electrical appliances or iring.
  
• Young children biting or chewing on electrical cords, or poking metal objects into the electrical outlet.
  
• Lightning.
  
• Flashing of electric arcs from high-voltage power lines.
  
• Machinery or occupational-related exposures.

Electrical injuries
An electrical injury can occur to the skin or internal organs when a person is directly exposed to an electrical current. An electrical injuries can be caused by a wide range of voltages but the risk of injury is generally greater with higher voltages and is dependent upon individual circumstances.
Alternating current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) electrical supplies can cause a range of injuries including:

• Electric shock
  
• Electrical burns
  
• Loss of muscle control
  
• Thermal burns

Electric shock

Electric shock can cause effect to human body causes a current to flow that can block the electrical signals between the brain and the muscles. It's can influence to many part of the body as a following:

• Cardiac arrest due to the electrical effect on the heart.
  
• Preventing the person from breathing
  
• Causing muscle spasms
  
• Loss of muscle control
  
• Thermal burns

Electrical burns

When an electrical current passes through the human body it heats the tissue along the length of the current flow. This can result in deep burns that often require major surgery and are permanently disabling. Burns are more common with higher voltages but may occur from domestic electricity supplies if the current flows for more than a few fractions of a second.

Loss of muscle control

persons who receive an electric shock often get painful muscle spasms that can be strong enough to break bones or dislocate joints. This loss of muscle control often means the person cannot ‘let go’ or escape the electric shock. The person may fall if they are working at height or be thrown into nearby machinery and structures.

Thermal burns

Overloaded, faulty, incorrectly maintained, or shorted electrical equipment can get very hot, and some electrical equipment gets hot in normal operation. Even low voltage batteries (such as those in motor vehicles) can get hot and may explode if they are shorted out.

First Aid:

1. If safely possible, shut off the electrical current. Unplug the cord, remove the fuse from the fuse box, or turn off the circuit breakers if possible. Often, simply turning off the appliance itself will not stop the flow of electricity.
   
2. Call for medical help.
   
3. If the current can't be turned off, use a non-conducting object, such as a broom, chair, rug, or rubber doormat to push the victim away from the source of the current. Don't use a wet or metal object. If possible, stand on something dry and non-conducting, such as a mat or folded newspapers. Do not attempt to rescue a victim near active high-voltage lines.
   
4. Once the victim is free from the source of electricity, check the victim's airway, breathing, and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, initiate first aid ( CPR ).
   
5. If the victim has a burn, remove any clothing that comes off easily, and rinse the burned area in cool running water until the pain subsides. Give first aid for burns.
   
6. If the victim is faint, pale, or shows other signs of shock , lay the victim down, with the head slightly lower than the trunk of the body and the legs elevated, and cover the person with a warm blanket or a coat.
   
7. Stay with the victim until medical help arrives.
   
8. Electrical injury is frequently associated with explosions or falls that can cause additional traumatic injuries, including both obvious external injuries and concealed internal injuries. Avoid moving the victim's head or neck if a spinal injury is suspected. Administer appropriate first aid as needed for other wounds or fractures.

Do Not:

• DO NOT touch the victim with your bare hands while the person is still in contact with the source of electricity.
  
• DO NOT remove dead skin or break blisters if the victim has acquired burns.
  
• DO NOT apply ice, butter, ointments, medications, fluffy cotton dressings, or adhesive bandages to a burn.
  
• DO NOT touch the skin of someone who is being electrocuted.
  
• DO NOT get within 20 feet of someone who is being electrocuted by high-voltage electrical current until the power is turned off.
  
• DO NOT move a victim of electrical injury unless there is immediate danger.

Prevention:

• Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
  
• Keep electrical cords out of children's reach.
  
• Teach your children about the dangers of electricity.
  
• Avoid electrical hazards at home and at work. Always follow manufacturer's safety instructions when using electrical appliances.
  
• Parents of small children should put safety guards on all electrical outlets, and keep children away from electrical devices.
  
• Avoid using electrical appliances while showering or wet.
  
• Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.

sources:
Electrocution Fatality Investigation Reports
www.umm.edu
www.hse.gov.uk

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