Electrical safety in the operating room is of paramount importance in the practice of anesthesia.

The hazards associated with electrical equipments are: Electric shock- Macroshock Electric shock-Microshock Burns Fire and explosions Diathermy hazards

Electric shock (Macroshock) Occurs with external application of a voltage to the skin, causing an electric current to pass through the body tissues. Commonly electric shock occurs from the AC mains supply. How does electric shock occur? Electric shock occurs from the mains supply, when the body forms a circuit between the line and a local earth connection or the neural mains line. Earthed circuit- The local earth connection may occur via the floor or ground. Alternatively earthing may take place by inadvertent contact with earthed metal work such as an anesthetic machine or operating table. Isolated circuit- In the absence of an earth connection, an individual or a circuit, is said to be electrically isolated or floating. However current can still flow if contact with an alternative return path such as the neutral supply line is made.

The effect of electric current flowing through body tissues depend on the following factors: whether the current is AC or DC the magnitude of the current the tissues current that passes through current density duration of current passage pre-existing disease of the patient

Type of current: AC or DC DC produce single muscle spasm on contact, may produce arrhythmia and chemical burn on prolonged exposure.