The number of American workers electrocuted on the job and experiencing fatal work-related injuries continues to rise. Contact with overhead power lines accounts for approximately two-fifths of fatal electrocutions.
The most common shock-related injury is a burn. Burns suffered in electrical accidents may be of three types: electrical burns, arc burns, and thermal contact burns. Electrical burns are different than thermal and chemical burns since they tend to have deeper surface penetration.
Electrical burns result from electric current flowing through tissues or bone. The type and voltage of the circuit, the pathway through the body, the duration and the resistance of the body will determine the severity of damage. A key characteristic of electrical burns is that there is an exit wound. This is the location where the electricity leaves the body. A person with an electrical burn in his or her arm may have another wound in the leg. Because the electricity runs through the body, it is important to know the effects the burn had on the muscles, veins, arteries, and nerves between the entry point and the exit point of the electricity.
Entry points are most commonly in the hand. If the exit point is the opposite hand, it may be likely that the electricity ran through the heart. At levels of current flow exceeding 1/10 of an amp or 100 milliamps, the heart stops and experiences fibrillation. A person may survive an electrocution if his or her heart can be started again. This is why CPR is such an important skill in the electrical industry. Remember, Electrical burns are one of the most serious injuries you can receive and should be given immediate attention.
Another type of shock-related injury is and Arc or flash burn. These burns are the result of high temperatures near the body and are produced by an electric arc or explosion. They are usually serious and should be attended to promptly.
Thermal contact burns are those normally experienced when the skin comes in contact with hot surfaces of overheated electric conductors, conduits, or other energized equipment. Additionally, clothing may be ignited in an electrical accident and a thermal burn will result. Electrical, Arc and Thermal burns may be produced simultaneously in an accident.
Electric shock can also cause injuries of an indirect or secondary nature in which involuntary muscle reaction from the electric shock can cause bruises, bone fractures, and even death resulting from collisions or falls. In some cases, injuries caused by electric shock can be a contributory cause of delayed fatalities.
In addition to shock and burn hazards, electricity poses other dangers. For example, when a short circuit occurs, hazards are created from the resulting arcs. If high current is involved, these arcs can cause injury or start a fire. Extremely high-energy arcs can damage equipment, causing fragmented metal to fly in all directions. Even low-energy arcs can cause violent explosions in atmospheres that contain flammable gases, vapors, or combustible dusts.
Examples of electrocution injuries resulting from electrocution include:
Fatal Electrocution in Poultry Processing Plant
A self-employed electrician was hired by a turkey plant to install an icemaker. The electrician began the job a day before anyone at the factory expected him. The maintenance workers at the factory had not been told to turn the power off that morning, and the electrician did not report to anyone at the factory before beginning work. The electrician took off the cover of an electrical junction box, where factory equipment can be connected to a 440 volt power supply. Without testing to see if the power to the box was shut off, and without putting on his insulated gloves and face shield, the electrician touched a live connection and set off an electrical flash so strong that he thought the box had exploded. He was burned on the face, neck, chest, arms, his hair was burned off, and his fingerprints were found burned to the panel box. He died five days later from the burns.
Infant Electrocuted in Hospital Bed
A male infant aged one year and nine months was found dead on a bed after being admitted to the hospital with suspected pneumonia. The patient apparently put an uncovered oval shaped lamp switch (pendant switch) into his mouth and died of electric shock after contacting the exposed wires of the switch (100 V, 60 Hz alternating current). There were extensive first- to fourth-degree burns on the inner surface of the both lips. Because the histological findings were consistent with electric burns and the burns showed vital reactions, electric shock was judged to be the cause of death. The pendant switch is normally a very convenient piece of bedside equipment for inpatients. However, when the patient is an infant who naturally puts all the objects into the mouth, such a switch should be placed out of reach, and it should be certain that the cap is not loose.
Maintenance Worker electrocuted While Working in a Public School Building
On July 7, 1995, a 28-year-old male maintenance worker was electrocuted while working in a public school building. The incident occurred in the office area of a high school during the alteration of a wall for the construction of an alcove for a copying machine. The victim had just started the project and had removed a section of sheetrock when he discovered an electrical cable behind the wall leading from a light switch to the overhead fluorescent lights. He notified his supervisor who looked over the problem and instructed him to disconnect the power at the breaker box and to wait until he got back before he proceeded. After the supervisor left, the victim dismantled the light switch box and pulled the cable out of the wall. The victim was apparently stripping the wires on the cable when he contacted 277 volts, electrocuting him.
