How safe is your workplace?
How would you deal with an electrical injury at your place of work?
Although electrical injuries are uncommon they can range from minor skin burns, electrical shocks to life threatening damage to internal organs. When looking at some of the consequences of electrical shocks they mainly occur at the workplace and can be quite detrimental. Much thought is never really given to long-term effects. Currently there are no established standards to monitor symptoms after an electrical shock. Management is symptomatic and minor visible symptoms usually resolve quickly.
Main risks
- Changes in ECG
- Onset of Arrhythmias at a later date
- Organ specific injury
- Heart – arrhythmias, most common
Low (V) can cause asystole – cardiac arrest, common commercial sources =AF
Lung and heart tissue can become damaged post electric shock accident causing reduced physiological output.
Actions to take before using electrical equipment
- Risk assessment should take into consideration the type of electrical equipment used, the way it is used and in what environment it is used.
- Is it suitable for its intended use and the conditions in which it is operated? If not
- Action must be taken in advance to protect against possible danger, failure, or injury!!
For more information see www.hse.gov.uk