A 26-year-old male construction worker was helping install sewer lines in a new residential development. He attached a section of pipe to a hook on the bucket of the track hoe and held one hand on the wire rope as the pipe was being moved into the trench. The boom of the track hoe made contact with a 7200-volt overhead power line. The electric current traveled through the boom and down the wire rope choker to the victim, who was electrocuted.
These are two extreme examples of the sinister power of electricity when it comes in contact with the human body. From light tingling to instant death, the effects of all of these factors in combination cannot be predicted with 100 percent accuracy.
The path the current takes through the body and the body’s resistance to it affect the impact of the electricity on a person as well as the three primary characteristics of electricity—amperage, voltage, and type of current (alternating or direct). Voltage is the most important factor, but people have been killed by shocks of 50 volts.
Factors involved in electrical burn injuries—
- People with thin or wet skin may experience deep burning of internal organs and tissues while leaving the surface skin unaffected.
- Thick or tough skin may burn from contact with electricity but prevent the current from damaging internal organs.
- Neurological problems may be immediately obvious or not noticeable for up to three years after the shock.
- The respiratory system may be paralyzed by the shocks, causing death.
- Smaller veins and arteries dissipate heat less easily than larger blood vessels and may develop blood clots as a result.
- Amputation is often required after severe high-voltage injuries.
An electric arc may set flammable objects on fire, and the victim’s muscles may undergo shocks so violent that the resulting muscle spasms can break and dislocate bones.
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