Electrical Injuries

1
Electrical Injuries

• Electrical burns are nearly always worse than
  they appear. Why?
• What are ways that people obtain electrical burns?

2
Electrical Injuries

• Human factors
• Males, especially young males
• Male to female ratio is 171 - highest for all
  forms of accidental death
• Reasons??

3
Factors influencing the effects of electricity on
the human body

• Type of current - AC Vs. DC
• Value or intensity of current
• Voltage or force of current
• Resistance of the body
• Pathway of the current
• Duration of contact

4
Prevention of electrical injuries

• Dos and Donts of electrical safety
• House should be checked to insure that they are
  wired correctly.
• What are some signals that there may be a problem
  with inadequate wiring?
• How are electrical cords misused?

5
Prevention of electrical injuries

• What are some safety principles regarding the use
  of electrical appliances?
• Precautions for outdoors?

6
Lightning

• Responsible for more deaths annually than any
  other type of stormy weather phenomena.
• 80 of deaths and injuries are to males
• Injuries - burns and tissue destruction
• Deaths - loss of respiration ventricular
  fibrillation

7
Injury Prevention for lightning

• Protect yourself when thunderstorms threaten
• Get inside home or vehicle
• Avoid using telephone unless in an emergency.
• Showers?

8
Injury Prevention for lightning

• If you are outside, what are some safety
  measures?
• Do not stand under a natural lightning rod such
  as a tall tree in an open, isolated area.

9
Outdoor lightning precautions (2)

• Avoid projecting from the surrounding landscape,
  e.g. open field, hilltop, on the beach.
• Get out of and away from open water.
• Get away from tractors and other metal farm
  equipment.

10
Outdoor lightning precautions (3)

• Get off and away from motorcycles, scooters, golf
  cart, and bicycles. Put down the golf clubs --
  even the 1 iron!
• Stay away from metal pathways which could carry
  the electricity to you, e.g. wire fences,
  clotheslines, metal pipes.

11
More lightning precautions

• In a wooded area seek shelter in a low area under
  a thick growth of small trees.
• In open areas, seek a low place such as a ravine
  or valley.
• If stuck in an open area and you feel your hair
  stand on end, drop to your knees and crouch very
  low. Do not lie flat on the ground.