All You Need To Know About Electrical Injury – Safety Tips And First Aid
An electric shock has the potential to be fatal. The number of people who suffer unfortunate mishaps and non-fatal injuries drastically increases. Electrical injuries cause 1000 deaths every year in the US.
Thus, awareness of basic Electrical injury care tips is the need of the hour. Such basic awareness can significantly reduce the chances of major complications and, in worst cases, death.
Read on to learn about the safety and care tips to be safe from such a life-threatening risk.
Tips for Safety from Electrical Injuries in the Workplace
An electric shock is caused when one comes in contact with a live source of electricity. The current passage through the body is hazardous and can have severe effects on the body. More specifically, the effects range from minor burns to extreme situations such as cardiac arrest.
Industrial work makes one most vulnerable to electrical injuries, especially if there are insufficient safety measures. Here are some industrial safety tips to avoid electrical injuries:
- Identify and label all potential electrical hazards before initiating work
- Maintain a safe distance between equipment and energy sources
- To prevent falls while working on heights, use ladders of non-conductive material
- Maintain a safe distance from equipment that operates on over 50V of energy
- De-energize live electrical points before working near them
- Unplug cords by pulling out the plug head and not by pulling the cord itself
- Install physical barriers around any source of electrical hazard
- Look out for outlets that are hot as it is an indication of faulty wiring
- As a rule, use electrical tape instead of staples to hold cords in place
- Wear protective gear and make use of insulated tools while working closely around electrical hazards
These safety tips may seem overwhelming. However, they are the only way to ensure that the need for electrical injury care does not arise.
First Aid for Electrical Injuries
Electrical injury care is critical to avoid an electric shock’s complicated and extreme effects. If someone around you is an electric shock victim, follow these first aid steps:
Step 1
Look to make sure that the electrocuted person is not still in contact with the power source. If they are, do not touch the person till the power is turned off.
Step 2
Turn off the electricity from the source and plug points, and unplug all the cords. After completing this process, you can touch the victim.
Step 3
To minimize the effect and increase the chances of survival, rapidly assess the situation. Check if the victim is conscious and raise the alarm for help.
Step 4
Check if the victim is breathing. To that end, lift their chin and tilt the head backward to open up the airway. Call for an ambulance and request an AED. If the victim is not breathing, administer CPR.
Step 5
If AED is handy, use it for defibrillation.
Step 6
In severe cases, if the victim has suffered burns, hold them under cold water for at least 10 minutes. It will help cool the burn till an ambulance arrives.
Wrapping Up
If an electric shock victim has no visible signs of injury, they should still be taken to a hospital. A quick examination can rule out all possible injuries, to be sure. Immediate electrical injury care is exceptionally critical in saving a victim’s life. Consultation with specialists should be considered to avoid further complications or damage.
Keep track of all signs of injury and maintain that record. Pass all the information on to the paramedics who arrive at the scene to ensure proper care.
