First Aid Safety Tips in case of Electric Shocks

First Aid Safety Tips in case of Electric Shocks

June 7th, 2021 JB GUPTA

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Electrical burns can be caused by the heat of electricity or injuries caused by electric current flowing through the body. While external burns resulting from the heat or flames caused by electricity are treated the same way as heat burns as electrical injuries can cause only minor external burns when the electricity enters the body and leaves the body resulting into entrance and exit heat burn wounds. But continuous flow of electricity through the body can be fatal as it can stop the heart functioning of the victim in addition to other serious injuries.

Electrical Shocks can be of three types:

1. Electrical Shocks – Home Supply Voltage 160V to 260V
2. High Power and High Tension Distribution Lines – 11000V
3. Lightening Strikes from Sky 

Be alert in case of power lines and lightening. If you find any High Voltage power lines loose or any body entangled in live power cables do not approach the victim in contact with the power line or even do not try to move the power cable away even by using any object. You can just guard the area so that other passersby can be alerted till the emergency team from Electric Supply Company and Ambulance from the Hospital reaches the spot. In such a situation immediately call both the emergency services.

Similarly when lightening strikes from the sky you are supposed to call the emergency health services as lightening strikes often cause grave injuries including burns, adverse effect on heart, brain and even cause temporary blindness, deafness, seizures, bleeding, bone fractures and even total cardiac arrest. Till the emergency services reach, any trained health worker from para medical services can provide basic life support care, treating the most grave injuries first.

What to do in such emergencies:

• First of all unplug or turn off the power circuit breaker.
• Call for Emergency Services.
• If the victim is not entangled in any power source and is responsive with only heat burns then provide first aid and take precautions for heat burns like cooling the area, removal of clothes, jewelry and covering the burnt area.
• Shocked victim be lied down with elevated legs and try maintaining the normal body temperature.
• Never try to go near the victim without getting the Power Source turned off.