Dealing With an Electric Shock
An electric shock may simply stun a person, but it may be severe enough to stop the heart, so it`s vital to act fast. The St John Ambulance`s advice is:
- Don`t touch the casualty if he or she is still holding the cable or appliance. Switch off the current at the mains or remove the plug.
- If you can`t switch off the current, stand on dry insulating material (a phone directory will do) and use a wooden chair or broom to push the casualty away from the electricity source.
- One contact is broken, if the casualty is unconscious, check breathing and pulse. Begin resuscitation if necessary and place in the recovery position, then call an ambulance. Make sure you know how to resuscitate now.
- If the casualtry is breathing, douse any burns with plenty of cold water for least 10 mins, and gently ease off jewelry or watches before the limb swells. Never try to remove anything that`s sticking to a burn. Cover with a clean, non-fluppy material, and take the casualty to hospital.
Many electrical injuries could be prevented by taking just a few sensible precautions:
- Never use an electrical appliance with wet hands or when standing on a wet floor.
- Replace frayed flexes, cracked plugs or electrical sockets.
- Never join two pieces of flex with insulating tape – use a proper flex connector instead.
- Always fit an RCD (residual current device) to a power tool when working outside. If the cable is accidently damaged or the appliance is faulty, it will cut off the power supply.
- If you have children, fit socket guards, switch off sockets off after use and unplug power tools.
