Basic Electrical Safety

September 30, 2015

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

• Basics of Electricity
• How Electricity Can harm You
• Effects of Electrical Contact to
Human Body

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BASICS OF ELECTRICITY

• Electrical current will not flow unless it has a

complete path (circuit) that returns to its
source (battery, generator, transformer).
• Current flows through a conductor such as
metal, earth and human body.
• Current can harm or kill you if it flows
through your body.

BASICS OF ELECTRICITY

• Insulators resist the flow of electricity.

Insulating materials such as rubber and
plastics are used to cover electrical wires.
• Low voltage does not imply low hazard.

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SHOCK IS A PRODUCT OF LIVE LINE
& A GROUNDED BODY CONTACT

Distribution
Substation Transformer Secondary /
Overhead Lines Service Lines

230V

20,000V

Neutral Line

Ground Ground Earth ground

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HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Organ burns: 5000-

6000
Heart paralysis: 250-
300

Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100

Respiratory paralysis:
30-75

"Let go" threshold: 10-

40

Pain 3-10

Muscle contraction: 1-5

Perception: 0.5-1.5

Milliamperes
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000
1 Amp 10 Amp

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

OHM’s Law V
V = IR or I =
R

Where: V - potential in VOLTS

I - current in AMPERES
R - resistance in OHMS

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HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation
Under dry conditions, the resistance offered by the
human body may be as high as 100,000 Ohms. Wet
or broken skin may drop the body's resistance to
1,000 Ohms.

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation

I=V Where R =2000 ohms

(Resistance of human body)
R
12 Volts I = 12 Volts / 2000 Ohms
car battery
40 Amperes I = 0.006 Ampere

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 HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Organ burns: 5000-

6000

Heart paralysis: 250-

300

Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100

Respiratory paralysis:
30-75

BATTERY
"Let go" threshold: 10-
40

Pain 3-10

Muscle contraction: 1-5

Perception: 0.5-1.5
Milliamperes

0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

1 Amp 10 Amp

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation

I=V Where R =2000 ohms

(Resistance of human body)
R
110 Volts I = 110 Volts / 2000 Ohms
line-to-ground
15 Amperes
I = 0.055 Amperes

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HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

220 OUTLET
Organ burns: 5000-
6000

Heart paralysis: 250-

300

110 OUTLET
Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100

Respiratory paralysis:
30-75

BATTERY
"Let go" threshold: 10-
40

Pain 3-10

Muscle contraction: 1-5

Perception: 0.5-1.5

Milliamperes 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

1 Amp 10 Amp

EFFECTS OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT

TO THE HUMAN BODY

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 ELECTRICAL CURRENT CAN BE FATAL
WHEN IT PASSES THROUGH THE HEART

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AFTER COMING

IN CONTACT ENERGIZED CONDUCTOR

Fall from height

Unconciousness or
head injury from
falls

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SEVERE SKIN BURNS RESULT FROM ELECTRICITY
FLOWING IN THE BODY

ELECTRICAL CURRENT ENTERS

AND EXITS THE EXTREMITIES

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ELECTRICAL CONTACT CAN BE FATAL

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Electrical current will not flow unless it has a complete path
(circuit) that returns to its source.
a. True
b. False
c. Maybe

______ can harm or kill you if it flows through your body.

a. Voltage
b. Resistance
c. Current
d. None of the above

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