First aid in danger of an electric shock is one of the many domestic lessons one can never afford to miss out. An electric shock (sometimes called electrocution) occurs when the person gets in contact with electric conductors that cause current to flow to the entire body.

The source of electric current may have a voltage that is high enough to cause sufficient current flow through the muscles or hair.

The minimum current one can feel is thought to be about 1 milliamp. The current may cause tissue damage if it is sufficiently high. Such a fatal electric shock is referred to as electrocution.

Electrocution and how to avoid it

It is strongly recommended that people should not work on exposed live electric conductors. If this can’t be avoided, insulated gloves and tools should be used.

An alternative to using insulated tools is to isolate the operator from the ground. This helps to avoid a conductive path for electric current through the operator’s body to the ground. This method is used for working on live high-voltage overhead power lines.

In case of improper wiring, it is possible to have current voltage between neutral wires and the ground. This often appears to be the major cause of electric shocks many people experience.

"Live” neutral wires should be treated in the same way as live wires. The neutral wire must be insulated to the same degree as the live wire to avoid a short circuit.

However, widespread use of plastic cases for everyday appliances (which won’t conduct electricity), grounding of these appliances, and mandatory installation of Residual Current Devices have greatly reduced electrocution over the past few decades. It would be proper if one used the same technique to avoid being electrocuted.

First aid instructions

Helping a victim of an electric shock can prove a very risky exercise if one is not aware of the proper steps to take. However, there are simple guidelines to this.

First, you must disconnect the power supply units if it is safe to do so and will not take long to find the mains of power supply. Touching the power source though, may put you in danger.

Electric shocks are common in salons and barber shops. If the victim is in close contact with something portable like a hair dryer, attempt to move it away using a non-conductive object such as a dry wooden broom.

Time is precious in this case and knocking the victim from the source can prove an effective way to speed the process before the current destroys the heart.

Do not attempt to touch the affected person until they are free and clear of the supplied power. Don’t even touch the victim until you are sure the power supply is turned off.

Be especially careful in wet areas such as bathrooms, since water will conduct electricity and electrocuting yourself is also possible. People "hung up” in a live current flow may think they are calling out for help but most likely no sound will be heard from them.

When the muscles contract under household current, the person affected will appear in lock-up state, unable to move or react to you.

When using a wooden object, swiftly knock the person free without severely trying to injure them, but strong enough to free, and land them clear off the source.

The source may also be lifted or removed, if possible, with the same wooden item. This is not recommended on voltages that exceed 500v.

Most electrocutions happen from domestic current in homes. Do not attempt without rubber or some form of insulated sole shoes; bear or socked feet will allow the current to flow to the ground through your body as well.

Check if you are alone. If there are other people around, instruct them to call an ambulance right away. Immediately check for a response and breathing.

If the area is safe for you to keep in and you have removed the object or have cut off its power supply, yell to the person to see if they are conscious.

At this stage, do not touch the victim. Check once again to see if the area is safe. If you are satisfied that it is safe, start resuscitating the victim.

If you have no first aid knowledge, call emergency services for help. If the breathing and pulse are steady, attend to injuries. Cool the burns and cover them with dressings that won’t stick. Never put ointments or oils onto burns. If the victim has fallen from a height, only move them if there is chance of further danger (such as falling objects).

Try not to move them unnecessarily in case of spinal injuries or causing them excess pain, unless you are satisfied that moving them is necessary to prevent further dangers. Talk calmly and reassuringly to the conscious victim until the ambulance arrives.

Safety around electricity

Never stick anything into an electrical socket.  It is a great chance that you will get shocked or even electrocuted. Also, never ever guess or see if a power line has electricity flowing through it. Even if the power is turned off, there still can be electricity flowing through your home.

Try to keep from using extension cords because they fray a lot of times when they are plugged in and out of sockets and stored in places. If you find an electrical cord that is frayed or damaged in any way you should never use it.

Especially for young children:

At higher altitudes there are greater chances for one to get severely shocked, or electrocuted. Never fly model planes, kites, or balloons in these storms or around overhead power lines.

If something you need to get is up in a tree it is best to have an adult watch you, look around to see if there are any power lines near the tree, or any loose limbs that can touch an electrical wire.

Transformers are the most dangerous safety hazard of all. Always keep away from transformers or put anything inside the gates to shield them from the public.

If you find one of the locks is unlocked, immediately tell your parents to call the power supply or maintenance company to fix it. If a power line is down you should do the same thing.

Above all other cautions, everything to do with electricity should be referred to professionals in that field for better results.

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