How to Avoid getting Electrocuted.

by Ah Pek

People don’t simply gets electrocuted. The electrical system in our homes have been approved according to safety regulations and as long as the system is well maintained, rarely do anyone gets electrocuted by the electrical appliances in our homes.

Ways to Prevent Electrocution.

Electricity works in a very funny way. In layman terms, it must have a route for it to come and there must be a route for it to go back. For electricity to be effective, it must be travelling in an eternal loop or a circuit. If there is an obstruction in that circuit, the electricity that is travelling along that circuit won’t work. Electricity is also very versatile. It can travel in anything that can hold it. Things that can hold and allow electricity to travel are call conductors. Now other than the copper wire that we use, water is also a very good conductor of electricity, which makes our body a good conductor as our body consists of 75% water. Electricity likes passing through human body if ever an opportunity is present.

Remember the fact that Electricity must have a full complete circuit to be effective. Likewise, if electricity goes into our body, but was denied the chance to complete the circuit needed for it to work, the body will not receive the killer electrical charge. Just like a light circuit, if you were to cut the wires anywhere along the circuit, the light won’t light up.

A full circuit would mean a live line coming from the source and another line going back to where the source came from after passing through the light bulb or whatever that the circuit is meant to drive. So if electricity is accidentally passed to you body, (imagine yourself as the light bulb) and there is a line attached to your body that goes back to the source that the electricity came from, you will fry. If there is no line fixed to your body that goes back to the source you will be safe.

It’s seldom that anyone would have that 2 wires attached unless it is done on purpose and that guy is trying to kill himself. What happens during a fatal electrocution is the current goes trough the body and passes through to the ground which in this case acts as the line back to the source thereby electrocuting that guy. So to avoid electrocution, always wear a pair of DRY RUBBER SOLED SHOES, when attempting to repair some electrical faults. It as simple as that. No circuit, no electrocution. Have you seen the birds perched on those bare overhead cables. They are okay aren’t they? That’s because both their feet are on the same cable.

Another thing to keep in mind is NEVER HOLD TWO WIRES in your hands at any one time. You might never know they belong to the same circuit.

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{ 2 comments }

Leslie Coren December 10, 2008 at 11:12 pm

I really reallyyy need to speak to someone w/ur knowledge of electricity, ASAP !!! The night b4 last I was attempting to put up our outdoor Xmas lights, and the “short version” is that I received a fairly large electric shock in my right hand. In addition, WHILE I was shocked, the end of the outlet I was messing with to connect the 2 strings of lights, let off a small explosion and the 2 ends of the small wires on the ext chord turned black. The REASON it is URgent that you please reply to my email, possibly including a phone # that I can reach you on, is that >>> NOW, my right THREE FINGERS, ESPecially the PINKY finger are almOst completely NUMB, and I am wondering a few things; #1, if I truly DID do damage from the shock that was sent through my hand, could it have directly resulted in this horrible numbness that I’m experiencing, #2, will the nerve endings that were damaged, if #1 is in fact true, repair themselves, and will the feeling return to my fingers, and finally, #3, I had previously had a fairly serious case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in BOTH my hands, resulting from SKIING incorrectly, lol, but that was basically cured because I wore wrist/hand splints; Soooo, I was wondering if possibly I did NOT exactly “electrocute” my right hand, but instead, REaggravated the previous Carpal Tunnel ? All I know for SURE, is that I can’t apply my eye make-up,(which for ME is terribly important), anddd, I can’t even do something as SIMPLE as blowdry my hair !! I am a young/middleage, attractive tall blonde single mom of a beautiful 12 year old girl, and this “accident” took place the night b4 last, and I KNOW u are going to tell me to go see a DOCTOR, which I promise I will, but until then, can u PLEASE call me on my cell, and talk to me briefly about my poor little hand !?!? I would VERYYYY much appreciate a return call: my # is 305) 510-7889; it is my cell#, but if u are ABLE to, TEXT me 1st so that I know it’s YOU, and THEN cqll me; I don’t really like to answer calls if I don’t know WHO they are FROM !!! My name is Leslie, I live in Miami, and I can’t BEGIN to tell you how MUCH I wud appreciate a call BACK so we can chat for a couple minutes, and you cud share ur thoughts w/me about what the HEC is going on w/my right 2/3 fingers. Thank Youuuu, P.S. Obviously, I am RIGHT handed, which makes this injury EXtremely frustrating and VERY difficult to adjust to. :( :(

Ah Pek December 13, 2008 at 2:30 pm

Leslie,

Sorry I did not catch this comment earlier. I guess by now you would have recovered from the “shock”. Still the best thing to do in event you get “electrocuted” is to go see your doctor. Surfing the net for solutions will NOT cure you.

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