Each of us has a number of home gadgets that can cause electric shock or an electrical injury. What to do if your child or you have received an electrical shock? How to prevent electrical injuries at home?
What Is an Electrical Injury?
An electrical injury is the damage caused by the passage of electricity through the human body. It is very simple to get an electrical injury at home: any electrical appliance may be the cause. Young children may get an electric shock, inserting metal objects into the socket. The injury severity from such impact depends on the way of electricity through your body. Electricity passes through the human body like lightning. Most often, the current passes in the following ways: hand – hand, hand – head, hand – foot, and foot – foot. Our body works by using the plurality of electrical impulses, but electricity is too strong and therefore violates everything.
How Does Electricity Affect the Human Body?
passing through the human body, electricity heats the tissues, which may lead to burns;
burns appear in the places of input and output of electricity, they are deep and may affect organs and bones; an electric shock can stop the heart and breathing.
Call the Emergency in These Cases
- cardiac arrest (heart rate is not detectable);
- arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat);
- respiratory arrest or disorder;
- convulsions;
- numbness, tingling;
- loss of consciousness.
How to Act in Case of an Electric Shock?
Electric shock is one of the most dangerous injuries that can occur in everyday life. If electricity passes through the brain, the person will die. In case of a strong electric shock, a person’s heart stops, and there is no breathing.
Your actions:
- rescue the victim from exposure to electricity. Break the contact with the source of voltage: disconnect the device, discard the device, and pull the victim aside;
- put the patient horizontally and remove all the clothing that prevents him/her from breathing;
- give warm tea;
- give pain medications and sedatives;
- use an antiseptic bandage on the burnt places. There should be two burns;
- do chest compressions when the heart stops;
- use artificial respiration if necessary.
You can get an electric shock by helping the victim. Current is well-conducted, so if you cannot turn off the appliance, which has caused shock, you need to push it away. One can touch the electrical appliances only with the help of non-conductive things (wood, rubber). The body of the victim retains voltage, so try not to touch the skin.
- Do chest compressions when the heart stops;
- How to avoid electrical injury
What Causes Electric Shock at Home?
No one can be perfectly sure that they do not have broken appliances at home. Still, most electrical shocks are a consequence of the security breach. Do not touch bare wires – any wires! Do not use the appliance if your hands are wet. Explain to your child the safety rules. If the child is still small, buy special plugs for sockets.
