Electric Shock: Presented By: Jignasha Patel

ELECTRIC SHOCK
PRESENTED BY : JIGNASHA PATEL

 “Electric shock is the physiological
reaction, sensation, or injury caused
by electric current passing through the
(human) body. It occurs upon contact of a
(human) body part with any source
of electricity that causes a
sufficient current through the skin,
muscles or hair.”
 It is also define as,
“A sudden, sometimes painful, physical
reaction consisting of nerve stimulation
and muscle contraction, caused by electric
current flowing through the body.”
How Does Electric Shock and Lightning
Work?
 An electric shock occurs when a person
comes into contact with an electrical
energy source.
 Electrical energy flows through a portion
of the body causing a shock.
 Exposure to electrical energy may result
in no injury at all or may result in
devastating damage or death.
 Many people get electric shocks obtained
from man-made objects such as
electrical appliances, electrical wires,
and electrical circuitry.
 In addition, lightning strikes are a
natural form of electric shock.
 Burns are the most common injury
from electric shock and lightning
strikes.
Electric Shock Causes
 Children, adolescents, and adults are

prone to high voltage shock caused by
mischievous exploration, exposure at
work, to man-made electrical items.
 About 1,000 people in the United
States die each year as a result of
electrocution (death caused by electric
shock), which is far more than deaths
caused by lightning.
 Many variables determine what injuries
may occur, if any. These variables
include the type of current (AC
[alternating current] or DC [direct
current]), the amount of current
(determined by the voltage of the source
and the resistance of the tissues
involved), and the pathway the
electricity takes through the body.
 Low voltage electricity (less than 500
volts) does not normally cause
significant injury to humans. Exposure
to high voltage electricity (greater than
500 volts) has the potential to result in
serious tissue damage.
 Serious electrical shock injuries usually
have an entrance and exit site on the body
because the individual becomes part of the
electrical circuit.
 If a person is going to help someone who
has sustained a high voltage shock, he or
she needs to be very careful not to become
a second victim of a similar electrical
shock.
 If a high voltage line has fallen to the
ground, there may be a circle of current
spreading out from the tip of the line,
especially if the earth is wet or if the
voltage line contacts water.
 The best and safest action is to activate
the emergency response system in your
area. The electric company will be
notified so the power can be shut off.
 A victim who has fallen from a height
or sustained a severe shock causing
multiple injuries may have a
serious neck injury and should not be
moved without first protecting the
neck.
 Children are not often seriously injured
by electricity. They are prone to shock
by the low voltage (110-220 volts) found
in typical household current.
 In children aged 12 years and younger,
household appliance electrical cords
and extension cords caused more than
63% of injuries in one study. Wall
outlets were responsible for 15% of
injuries.
 Lightning injuries occur infrequently,
but cause an average of 35 deaths per
year in the U.S. Although there are
about 8 million lightning strikes per
day on earth, few people are struck
and/or killed.
 Lightning is an environmental form of
electric shock that may or may not show
external burns, but lightning can injure
or kill due to cardiac or respiratory
arrest. Neurologic injury is common in
individuals struck by lightning. Other
injuries are due to severe muscle
contractions triggered by the electricity.
 Indirect injuries caused by lightning
strikes can occur with trauma from
explosive forces (for example, tree sap
and fluid being superheated and trees
blown apart due to steam pressure
generated when lightning heats up tree
sap).
Electric Shock Symptoms
 A person who has suffered an electric

shock may have very little external
evidence of injury or may have obvious
severe burns. Some people may be in
cardiac arrest after electric shock or a
lightning strike.
 Burns are usually most severe at the
points of contact with the electrical
source and the ground. The hands,
heels, and head are common points of
contact.
 In addition to burns, other injuries are
possible if the person has been thrown
clear of the electrical source by forceful
muscular contraction. Consideration
should be given to the possibility of a
spinal injury.
 The person may have internal injuries
especially if he or she is experiencing
shortness of breath, chest pain
or abdominal pain.
 Pain in a hand or foot or a deformity of
a part of the body may indicate a
possible broken bone resulting from the
electric shock.
 In children, the typical electrical mouth
burn from biting an electric cord
appears as a burn on the lip. The area
has a red or dark, charred appearance.
When to Seek Medical Care
 For a high-voltage shock, seek care at a

hospital's emergency department.
Following a low-voltage shock, call the
doctor for the following reasons:
 It has been more than 5 years since
your last tetanus booster
 Burns that are not healing well
 Burns with increasing redness,
soreness, or drainage
 Any electric shock in pregnant woman
Treatment given to the person suffering from
shock by physiotherapy
 1st step: is to switch off the mains of
connection from where shock happens.
 2nd step: person should discontinued
with a circuit by which shock happens.
 3rd step: the tight cloths of the victim
should be loose so that proper air
circulation should pass from the body of
the victim.
 4th step: if victim having breathing
problem, artificial respiration is given to
the victim.
Medical Treatment
 Treatment depends on the severity of the
burns or the nature of other injuries
found.
 Burns are treated according to severity.
Minor burns may be treated with topical
antibiotic ointment and dressings.
More severe burns may require surgery
to clean the wounds or even skin
grafting.
Severe burns on the arms, legs, or
hands may require surgery to remove
damaged muscle or even amputation.
 Other injuries may require treatment.
Eye injuries may require examination
and treatment by an ophthalmologist,
an eye specialist.
Broken bones require splinting,
casting, or surgery to stabilize the
bones.
Internal injuries may require
observation or surgery.
Electric Shock Prognosis
 Recovery from electric shock depends

on the nature and severity of the
injuries. The percentage of the body
surface area burned is the most
important factor affecting prognosis.
 If someone who has received an electric
shock does not suffer immediate
cardiac arrest and does not have severe
burns, he or she is likely to survive.
 Infection is the most common cause of
death in people hospitalized following
electrical injury.
 Electrical damage to the brain may
result in a
permanent seizure disorder, depression
, anxiety or other personality changes.
Precaution against shock
 During any kind of test, make sure that
NO ONE IS NEAR BY!
 Ensure that your electrical installation
fulfills all the safety regulations!
 Make sure that all parts of the circuit
is well mounted and nothing can be
moved accidentally.
 Make sure, all conductive and non-
conductive objects are away from your
circuit .
 Keep electrical equipment away from water
or any other liquid, conductive or not .
 Use the special safety rubber gloves and
rubber shoes .
 The floor you are standing on must be
properly insulated from ground .
 Have extra emergency shut-off switches
with big push-and-lock buttons within
your approach.
 Have extra circuit protection devices,
such as fuses, circuit breakers etc.
 All electrical equipment must be well-
grounded .

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ELECTRIC SHOCK

PRESENTED BY : JIGNASHA PATEL

 Children, adolescents, and adults are

 A person who has suffered an electric

 For a high-voltage shock, seek care at a

 Recovery from electric shock depends

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