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What
causes electrocution E-mail: geno03245w@gmail.com |
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NEVER assume power is OFF ... use
non-contact
voltage tester Test for power without touching connectorsBuy: Non-contact voltage tester Amazon Electric testers at Amazon Resource: How to test electric power is off |
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High
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When performing service on
appliance or equipment, always turn electricity OFF. Never assume power is OFF. Safety switch located within sight of water heater, air conditioner, or equipment such as table saw can offer protection against electrocution. It is easy to determine if electricity if OFF, and electricity cannot be accidently turned ON at breaker. Resource: How to wire safety switch |
| Electrocution:
People get electrocuted, when they become the pathway for electricity to reach earth.  Although
it is not known exactly what
electricity is, we can say that it has to do with charged electrons
seeking, or moving, to equalize the charge. All matter is made from atoms. Under typical conditions, each atom has negatively charged electron(s) in orbit around a nucleus that contains positively-charged proton(s). The charge between the proton and orbiting electron is balanced, and there is an attracting force in the universe that tries to keep the charge balanced. The universe wants to equalize the charge. Because electrons are small and lightweight, then many things cause them to jump free from orbit, including heat, magnetic induction etc. Conductive materials, such as copper and aluminum (electric wire is made from copper and aluminum), give up atoms more readily than insulating materials like rubber or air. When freed from orbit, the negatively charged electrons are attracted to any matter (other atoms) that carries a different, or unequal charge. When it happens, the electrons jump from atom to atom to atom etc, creating what we describe as electricity. The number of electrons that can flow or jump from atom to atom is dependent on the force that is energizing the movement, the type of material, and the conductance or resistance of that material. All materials have resistance, but conductive materials like copper and aluminum have lower resistance than rubber and air.  Electrons coming free from orbit
and equalizing charge is an everyday occurrence. For example, a
static shock from rubbing dry socks across a carpet and touching a
doorknob
is caused by unequal charge. The electrons that come loose by friction (heat) of socks on carpet are equalizing with the charge on the doorknob. Of course the number of electrons is small so you are not harmed. All matter is conductive. If you touch the wood door instead of metal knob, the electrons will also discharge, but the movement of electrons into an insulating material like wood is much slower. The metal doorknob is a conductive material, so the electrons discharge in a sudden bolt of electricity. If you rub socks on carpet and don't touch anything, the electrons will quickly equalize through whatever material you continue standing on. So electricity is described as the movement of electrons equalizing the charge, and it happens with different materials and different causes throughout every minute of every day ... it's all electricity, and not just when you can see and feel it.  The shock from a live electric wire, or short circuit from an appliance etc is much larger than a static charge from carpet. The power plant generator rotates a magnet past coils of wire, and the process of magnetic induction causes electrons on the wire to start jumping from atom to atom and flow down the wire. Wires (also called conductors) are made of conductive metals like aluminum and copper alloys etc, and designed with sufficient size to allow massive flow of electrons, Read about electric generation Electricity is 'highly charged' because it carries enormous numbers of electrons. The earth will always have a different charge than electrons on a live electric wire. As a result, electrons on the wire will follow any pathway to earth (soil, sand, water etc) in an effort to equalize the charge. Except the generator keeps pumping out charged electrons and if you become the pathway for all those electrons, it will kill you as the electrons burn though the body. That's one basis for electrocution, but doesn't cover all possible hazards.  The
ground wire helps reduce the risk of electrocution by
offering a
resistance-free path for electrons to reach earth. A ground wire is required for each electrical installation. The ground wire is connected to all other ground wires to form an array of grounding that is connected to a ground rod that is driven into the soil to proper depth to meet local soil conditions. A properly installed ground wire offers no resistance to the flow of electrons. If the Neutral wire at service panel becomes disconnected for some reason, then the 120 volt circuits, and any circuit that uses the Neutral wire to complete circuit, will feed power back through the ground wire and out to the ground rod. This means the electricity will reach all the metal enclosures and conduit in the home or building because the neutral and ground are bonded at the main panel (breaker box). The result is electrocution hazard. What is resistance? Technically resistance is used for DC direct current, and impedance for AC alternating current, but the common formula found in electrical calculations is E=IČR, or Energy = amps squared x resistance, and the calculation holds up for AC as well as DC, and so resistance is commonly used when talking about AC electricity. 'Resistance is caused by electrons colliding with the lattice, or structure of the atoms that make up a conductor, resulting in electrical energy being converted into heat' which slows the flow of electrons. Every material is conductive to some degree. Even a wood pole can become a conductor when a bolt of lightning strikes it, because lightning carries so much voltage that it pushes the electrons down through the pole and blows it apart. So all materials are conductive, and all materials have resistance to the flow of electrons. The difference is that conductive materials like copper and aluminum offer less resistance than non-conductive materials like a wood pole.  In
a simplified version of events, imagine that charged electrons are like
marbles, and resistance is a
hill that surrounds the marbles and stops them from rolling
away.
If there is no resistance, electrons
will 'roll away' like marbles when they are attracted by an unequal
charge.If there is resistance, or a hill surrounding the marbles, then the marbles can only roll away if they get piled up so high, and the charge becomes so strong, that they spill over the top and overcome the resistance. So resistance impedes, slows and sometimes stops the movement of electrons. A properly installed ground wire should have no resistance, while a person's body offers a fair amount of resistance, and so the ground wire becomes the easiest pathway for electrons to follow. Electricity tends to follow the easiest route, or path of least resistance, so the ground wire can help prevent electrocution in some instances. However, if electrons are running wildly into the ground wire because of a short circuit, or because somebody has touched live electric wire while touching a grounded metal clothes dryer, the Hot wire that supplies the source of electrons becomes overheated by the massive number of electrons pouring down the wire and pushing against the resistance of the conductor and resistance of the human body. The circuit breaker detects the heat, and trips off. This cuts off the flow of electrons. A problem arises because circuit breakers are 'slow acting,' and will not trip immediately. This means the ground wire and breaker cannot protect someone exposed to live electricity while standing in water or on bare soil or touching a grounded object such as clothes dryer or hull of a ship. In most cases, insulation and grounding are used to prevent injury from electrical wiring systems or equipment. However, there are instances when these recognized methods do not provide the degree of protection required. For example, double-insulated tools are not 100% safe from electrocution hazard, especially if there is considerable moisture or wetness, or tool is dropped into water. A frayed extension cord can pose similar risk. Getting shocked by electricity can 'grab hold' of individual so they cannot release. Injury and death can come from falling, burns, heart stoppage etc. Do not apply water to electric burn. To prevent the risk around home or business, a GFCI (ground fault interrupter) is the best solution. GFCI  For
safety, make sure to avoid becoming the pathway for
electrons by
following basic electrical safety practices, testing if power is off,
not
wandering around at night after a storm blows down power lines,
and
installing ground fault interrupter (GFCI) on any vulnerable circuit.
Circuits that need GFCI include bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and
outdoor outlets,
switches and equipment.
How GFCI works: GFCI will instantly react to the rush of electrons just as they start to flow on the wire, and cut off the circuit before the person gets killed. "The GFCI contains a special sensor that monitors the strength of the magnetic field around each wire in the circuit when current is flowing. The magnetic field around a wire is directly proportional to the amount of current (electron) flow, thus the circuitry can accurately translate the magnetic information into current flow." ''Note that the GFCI will open (turn off) the circuit if 5 mA or more of current returns to the service entrance by any path other than the intended white (Neutral) conductor. If the equipment grounding conductor (ground wire) is properly installed and maintained, this will happen as soon as the faulty tool is plugged in. If by chance this grounding conductor is not intact (connected properly) and of low-impedance (if the ground wire does not offer low resistance), the GFCI may not trip out until a person provides a path. In this case, the person will receive a shock, but the GFCI should trip out so quickly that the shock will not be harmful.'' Since the GFCI trips if 5 mA or more of current is present, then if you are standing outside in a puddle of water and holding an extension cord that is frayed and causes live electricity to enter your body, the GFCI will detect the flow of electrons so quickly, that you will not get electrocuted. Prevention: use double-insulated tools outdoors, make sure cords are in good condition, and always connect to GFCI-protected circuit. Note double-insulation is no guarantee of safety. Ground wires are permanent and do not need periodic checking at a home or business unless a direct hit by lightning melts the wire. GFCI and circuit breakers can go bad. GFCI usually fail in OFF position, but for absolute safety, ''due to complexity of GFCI, it is necessary to test the device on a regular basis. For permanently wired devices, a monthly test is recommended. Portable type GFCI's should be tested each time before use. GFCI's have a built-in test circuit which imposes artificial ground fault on the load circuit to assure that the ground-fault protection is still functioning. Test and reset buttons are provided for testing." Thresholds of electricity on human body ''Threshold of perception to 60 Hz AC between major extremities - 0.5mA . Muscle dysfunction "let go current' - 9 mA. Respiratory paralysis - 30 mA . Heart dysfunction - 75 mA. Cardiac arrest - 4 amps. Hazardous potential threshold, skin contact - 40 V. Skin contact resistance - 1K-5K depending upon conditions. Body resistance between major extremities - 500 ohms (exclusive of skin). Skin effects disappear as voltage increases, higher potentials being able to pierce the skin's protective layer.'' Resource: How to wire GFCI What is electricity Difference between surge and ground |
 Combination GFCI Switch & plug Buy: Leviton Combination GFCI Combination GFCI Amazon Resources: How to wire GFCI combo |
 Leviton GFCI receptacle Buy: GFCI receptacle Slim design for ez install 1.03 inch depth GFCI receptacles Amazon Decora wall-plates Resources: How to wire GFCI receptacle |
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 Leviton GFCI with LED lite Buy: Leviton GFCI w nite light Slim design for ez install Resources: How to wire GFCI w/ LED |
 Leviton GFCI pilot light Buy: Leviton GFCI pilot light GFCI pilot lights Amazon Pilot indicates power status Resources: How to wire GFCI pilot |
| Other causes of electrocution -Lightning. During a storm, the electromagnetic nature of the universe causes unequal charges to gather inside the clouds. The updraft of hot air into cold clouds creates friction between air molecules that frees negatively charged electrons from positively charged protons, similar to how rubbing socks across a carpet creates a static charge. Lightning is just a giant static charge, but instead of discharging into a doorknob, the charges gather in different areas of the clouds, and then discharge back into each other, or to the ground in a bolt of lightning. Because air is a good insulator, it stops the charges from equalizing. As a result, pockets of charged electrons and protons gather in different areas of the clouds. The charge in one pocket will be different from the charge in another pocket. The charge is also different than the charge on the earth below. The storm now carries a huge number of unequal charges that want to equalize, except for the resistance of air. The unequal charges must overcome the resistance of air before they can equalize. That's why high voltage power lines are suspended high above the ground. The higher the voltage, the higher the wires have to be. The power lines carry electrons that will jump to earth if a pathway exists. Electrons can jump to person if that person gets too close. The air helps stop electrons on the wire from equalizing with earth. Inside a storm cloud, the charged electrons must build up in massive numbers before they overcome the resistance. When the charge becomes large enough, the electrons will flash across the sky in a bolt of lightning, just like a static spark when you touch a doorknob. The lightning will equalize the charge. The bolt of lightning will continue until the resistance of air exceeds the remaining charge. If electrons build up again, another bolt of lightning will occur from the same area. If a person is struck by lightning, the charge can burn through the body, tearing out muscles, shorting the brain, heart and nervous system. Outcomes vary. Lightning can hit nearby, and jump from object to object finding any pathway to discharge, including someone standing nearby. -Electric chair: Basically the human is connected to 2 Hot wires, one at the top and one at the bottom of the body. Each wire carries electrons with exactly opposite charge of the other wire. When the switch is pulled, the electrons burn through the body, similar to a light bulb, except unlike the light bulb, the human has more resistance which requires considerably more electricity. The final outcome, if done correctly, is resolved within minutes. If done incorrectly, the human may survive somewhat. In any case, there is a reason why a hood is placed over the person's head, as electrocution radically distorts facial muscles, causing a spectacle that might give doubts about the humanity of such actions. -Stealing copper wire: Copper theft is a profession that attracts the less affluent from society, yielding a lottery-like chance of electrocution, prosecution, or if lucky, a few dollars toward the day's human needs. If done correctly, the work offers exciting opportunities without benefits. Done incorrectly then negative outcomes range from serious burn to getting carbonized into a charcoal lump as the body becomes the pathway for electrons on the wire to equalize with earth until power company switches off the breaker. Electricity is a trap. Once the electrons start to flow through a body, the muscles contract, making it impossible to release oneself from the hazard. Once grabbed, a person is stuck until the electricity burns through the body. Anyone grabbing the affected person will also become stuck unless a friend knocks them loose with a 2x4 or pulls them off using a belt or dry towel. I do not recommend copper theft, and suggest careful study beforehand, but acknowledge that on-the-job training is cheaper than paying for trade school or college. |
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| Safety More people are killed by 120 volt that all other voltages. Do not touch a person being electrocuted, knock em loose with a non-conductive 2x4. Do not apply water to electrical burn. Get help immediately. People making the error of stealing copper wire and transformer oil at substations are frequently burned into carbon. The suffering is quick once high voltage strikes a human body, except for folks who witnessed the event. I don't mean to sound indifferent, more than advising caution. I was working on live 120 volt in customer's attic. Sweated shirt and leaning into metal AC duct, the next thing I remember was coming back to consciousness while crawling toward the attic stairway. I was unhurt because the contact was brief, but SWORE never to work on live power again. Good idea. Turn power off. Always stand on dry insulated surface such as boards when working with electricity. Turn off breaker, but do not assume power is off. Test with non-contact voltage tester. When testing live power, tape tester leads to wood sticks to keep hands away from power. Paint sticks and masking tape work fine. Do not lean over and put head into live circuit. Step back and then pick up tools. Stay off aluminum ladder. Use approved fiberglass ladder, or safest plan: hire licensed electrician and go out and buy a newspaper. Buy from my affiliate links: Electric testers Non contact voltage tester Fiberglass ladder Electric installation books Resource My electric links |
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Always use tools rated for the voltage High voltage tools Buy: High voltage tools Cautions: Electrocutions with ladders, scaffolds, tree cutting Install and test ground fault circuit interrupters Improved training and signage Improved training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Improved hazard recognition training, Use of personal protective equipment Deenergize lines Use Insulated Tools rated for the voltage Improved hazard recognition training to protect workers against electrocution; Grounding of electrical systems Power lines kill 133 workers per year. While power lines may have a covering to protect against weather, they are not insulated for contact. You don’t need to contact a power line to be in danger; electricity can jump, or arc, from a power line to a worker who gets too close. Work gloves and rubber boots offer no protection against contact with a power line. Electric thresholds on human body: mA Milliampere 1 thousands of an amp. 1 ampere is equal to 1000 mA. MA megampere 1 million amps Threshold of perception to 60 Hz AC between major extremities - 0.5mA . Muscle dysfunction "can't let go current' - 9 mA. Respiratory paralysis - 30 mA. Heart dysfunction - 75 mA. Cardiac arrest - 4 amps. Hazardous potential threshold, skin contact - 40 V. How much resistance in human body: Skin contact resistance - 1K-5K depending upon conditions. (0.001-.0005 ohms) Body resistance between major extremities - 500 ohms (exclusive of skin). Skin effects disappear as voltage increases, higher potentials being able to pierce the skin's protective layer. |
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