Re: electrical deaths

Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 27/11/2024 17:17, Cursitor Doom wrote:

On Tue, 26 Nov 2024 22:14:56 -0500, Edward Rawde wrote:
 

"john larkin" <JL@gct.com> wrote in message
news:iv1dkj1d8qa5cvm4r5b7mbehcot0lnd057@4ax.com...

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Age-adjusted-mortality-rates-from-

electrical-injuries-per-1-million-population-European_fig1_221916189

>
The US (0.63 PPM) is probably low partly because we have mostly 120
volt gadgets. I usually wire boxes hot, and get tickled now and then,
no big deal.
>
Some countries are astounding.
>
>

240V AC never did me any harm.
>
I first remember it when I moved a lamp in the loft (attic) which my
father had left there with the base off with live contacts exposed.
It was unpleasant but not harmful. I only just manage to avoid putting
my foot through the ceiling.
>
Later I was moving out of a flat (apartment) and we couldn't find the
keys to turn the power off.
The removal guys refused to disconnect the cooker (stove) live so I did
it for them.

 
Same here. Having dry skin helps a lot. There are still two real dangers
though: wetness in whatever form and accidentally poking your finger into
a socket where there's a live strand sticking out which punctures your
skin. That's when you can *really* get a belt!

 
It can also get nasty when muscle goes into spasm and contracts a hand
or even just a finger round the conductor, so you can't get free easily.

[...]

Something I was taught, which has beceome an ingrained habit, is to
touch anything for the first time with the back of your hand or fingers;
if it is 'live' you will jump away. 

Working in a radio factory brought home the need to apply that rule to
everyday objects, as it wasn't unknown for some joker to wire up a door
handle or a metal swivel chair to a high voltage supply.  The other
useful habit was to freeze if anyone threw anything towards you and
shouted "Catch!" - the object that bounced off you was just as likely to
be a charged high voltage electrolytic capacitor.

--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
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www.poppyrecords.co.uk