All electrical systems can potentially cause harm and injuries. The injuries one can get from electric shocks depend on different factors including the type of current, amount of voltage power, the overall health of the victim, how the electric current has traveled through the person’s body and how quickly the person was given medical help.
As most of the appliances and everyday things we are using today rely on electricity, electrical injuries and accidents are relatively uncommon.
The Four Main Types of Electrical injuries
The human body is highly conductive and even a small amount of electricity inside our body can be potentially fatal. In general, there are four primary types of electrical injuries and they as follows:
- Electrocution
This is a fatal injury due to the current interfering the normal electrical signals of the body and may result in breathing difficulties, muscle spasms, and cause the heart to stop beating.
- Electric Shock
- Burns
These are thermal burns coming from the heat generated from the electricity.
- Falls
Panic and muscle constructions can cause the victim to lose balance and fall which can result in serious injuries.
In some cases, a person injured by electrical shock may not have burns or visible marks or may seem to look okay afterward. This does not indicate that the person is cleared, sometimes the damage can be at the internal organs. At this point, all victims of electrical injuries should be examined by a doctor immediately.
What to Do In Case of Electrical Injuries
Electrical injuries are extremely fatal, even about 2 seconds of exposure to electric current is enough to cause serious damages to the organs of the body. Below are some of the most important tips when dealing with electrical injuries:
- Never attempt to rescue a victim of electrocution if you are not trained to do so.
- Avoid touching the injured individual if the person is still contact with the electricity.
- To separate the victim from the electric current source, make sure to turn off the power from the main source first. Use non-conductive materials like a wooden board, newspaper and rubber floor mat
- If you’re inside of a vehicle do not get out of your car immediately in the aftermath of a an electrical injury. Contact an emergency professional to make an assessment and wait for his or her go signal before you start to jump outside away from your vehicle,
- If the victim does not have a pulse and manifests breathing difficulties, be sure you are prepared to do an emergency while you are still waiting for medical help to arrive.