Quick question about electrecution.

[Andy]

Hey, got a quickie for y'all. Didnt know where to put it either, can't see a health and safety section.

What do you do if you are working in a workshop and a colleague elctrocutes themselves?

I would just point and laugh, before turning the appliance of at the plug. But i don't think my college tutors will accept that for my coursework.

 

[Andy]

No woories people, after a quick google, and with the help of the BBC i have found out exactly what not to do.

 

[chroot]

"Electrocution" means to die as a result of electric current. I sincerely hope you would do more than "point and laugh" if a colleague dies in your workshop -- that's literally disgusting and inhuman.

If you instead just mean "what should I do if someone in my workshop is getting shocked?" the answer is:

1) if there is an obvious stop button, interlock, or circuit breaker of some sort on the equipment (and there usually is), activate it immediately.

2) if there is no way to turn off the electricity, use an insulating object (like a broom or stick) to push the victim away so that he/she no longer makes contact.

3) Check ABC's. Call EMS.

- Warren

 

[Andy]

Yea that is what i found out, but i didnt realize that electrocution meant dieing by means of electric shock.

Does that mean that electrocuting somebody is the process of killing somebody by electrocution?

and no i would only laugh if they got a small shock.

 

[chroot]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=electrocution

Even if they only receive a small shock, you should never consider it a jovial event.

Even a small shock, directed through the chest from one hand to the other, can stop a person's heart. In many cases, the person can be resuscitated with effective CPR, but every second you spend laughing is another second you've failed to help the victim.

It doesn't take foot-long sparks and frying sounds and thousands of volts to kill a person.

Also, many people regard 110 VAC household mains voltages as "pretty safe," but 110 VAC is, in fact, quite lethal. It may take several seconds to cause death, but it is unfortunately true that receiving a shock tenses muscles involuntarily -- making a victim unable to let go even while he/she remains conscious and otherwise in control. If all you do is "point and laugh," you are literally aiding in the victim's ultimate injury or death.

Electric shock just isn't a laughing matter, ever. Grow up.

- Warren

 

[Andy]

Yea i know its a serious thing to happen, as small a current as 0.3 amp i believe is enoguh to stop the heart. But when i said i would laugh i wasnt being serious. I must admit to finding it rather amusing seeing somebody receive a shokc from an electric fence, how is it that an electric fence is set up differently so as not to be life threatening?

 

[Monique]

I used to run very high resistance polyacrylamide gels under 60W, the voltage over the electrophoresis system was like 1250V or something.. and it is a completely open system with liquids etc with that I had this static producing labcoat, which made me REALLY apprehensive.. I was always VERY carefull not to touch the thing with both hands until both plugs were out.. but the amp was low so I guess the situation wouldn't've be too dangerous.

 

[chroot]

Originally posted by Andy
Yea i know its a serious thing to happen, as small a current as 0.3 amp i believe is enoguh to stop the heart. But when i said i would laugh i wasnt being serious. I must admit to finding it rather amusing seeing somebody receive a shokc from an electric fence, how is it that an electric fence is set up differently so as not to be life threatening?

1) Electric fences are strongly current limited.

2) They are pulsed, with a rater low duty cycle. The gaps between the shocks allow your muscles to function, so that you can let go of it.

3) The current is always conducted from your hand or hands to the ground -- NOT from one hand to the other, and thus across the heart.

Household mains are not nearly so forgiving -- they can supply virtually "unlimited" current (the 20A circuit breaker won't even notice you in the circuit), they are not pulsed, and you can easily shock yourself across the chest by holding the two wires in either hand.

And Monique: please continue to be careful!

- Warren

 

[jimmy p]

i have to admit, if it were a small shock i would laugh as well. In fact, in physics the other day, we made a point of giving each other electric shocks cos the teacher thought it was fun...good ol' van de Graaf generators!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Ungrounded Shock

Warren,

What happens if a person touches a live household wire with one hand if they are not grounded? My guess is that they would be charged and discharged like a capacitor at 60 hz so long as they were touching the wire.What do you think?

-zoob