A slight contact with live electrical current can turn out to be fatal if there is a lack of immediate intervention. On average 34 people are killed every day due to electrocution in India, as per the data from the National Crime Records Bureau. Taking a step towards safety measures like first aid, can save a life and reduce the severity of the injury. Recently, an 11-year-old boy from Hyderabad was electrocuted on a terrace while flying a kite and came in contact with a live wire.
Over the last decade, India witnessed around 11,000 electrocutions every year.
Causes and symptoms of electrical injuries
Electrical hazards can be caused by several things including electric machines and devices, electrical outlets, power lines or even lightning. “Any form of contact with high-voltage current results in burns in areas of contact and bone injuries,” said Dr Saravanan B E, HOD, emergency medicine, Apollo Hospital, Bangalore.
Depending on the severity of the electric shock, one can experience the following symptoms: numbness or tingling sensation, headache, breathlessness, vision or hearing issues, muscle spasms, burns, loss of consciousness, seizures, irregular heartbeat or cardiac arrest.
First aid for electrical injuries
“The effects of electrical injury depend on the type of source and the severity,” says Dr Saravanan.
“Electrical injuries can be of four types,” says Dr Vishwa Reddy, associate professor of emergency medicine and member of the Association of Emergency Physicians of India. She elaborates:
- Electric shock: Could be mild with tingling and numb sensation with/without loss of consciousness
- Electrocution: More severe and can be fatal
- Burns: They can be deep and can damage the nerves, disfiguring the body
- Trauma to the brain: This results in neurological issues such as memory loss
The human body is a good conductor of electricity which can be transferred from one person to another. “In any electrical accident, it’s important to stop the flow of electricity by turning off the power source while ensuring the safety of the person experiencing the shock. Do not touch them before turning off the power,” Dr Reddy cautions. The person must then be taken to a safe place to start the first aid, she adds.
“Electric shock results in the disturbance of cardiac rhythm and the person may suffer from a cardiac arrest. Start CPR if there are no signs of a pulse. If there are any burn injuries, along with doing first aid, cooling the area can help. The person can then be taken to the hospital. Often, others who try to come to their aid also end up sustaining electrical injuries when the safety measures are not met,” said Dr Saravanan.
Complications of electrical hazard
“Unlike burn injuries which have one point of contact where skin and tissues are damaged, electrical injuries have distinct entry and exit points where tissues of the body between the two points are damaged,” says Dr Reddy. “For instance, if a person had an entry point on the left leg, the exit point could be in the right hand. Various organs in between these two points often get injured.”
She adds that appropriate screening will help identify the injured organs and treat them accordingly.
Electrical hazards could lead to shock and result in dysrhythmias (abnormal rhythms of the heart) and electrical stunning of the heart (stopping heartbeat), said Dr Reddy. “It can result in major trauma to the brain leading to loss of consciousness and hypoxic brain injury. It can also cause muscle injury leading to rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of muscle tissues), acute kidney injury, and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome,” she said.
According to Dr Saravanan, some of the common causes behind electrical injury cases are due to short circuits, broken wires, accidental contact with live wires, and industrial electric mishaps. Injuries from the plug points are also common, especially among children.
Preventing electric injuries
“In modern buildings, electrical wires are embedded inside the walls and are not visible. Hence, it is important to ensure the usage of good quality wiring,” says Dr Reddy. Poor earthing and wiring often lead to short circuits which can be prevented.
“Use safety measures like boots and gloves made of leather, rubber, or the ones labeled as electrical hazard-insulated while working with electrical sources. Avoid keeping electrical appliances near water, sliver items, and any other good conductors of electricity,” she said.
Dr Saravanan said that treatment is based on the type and severity of an injury. If the person has sustained burns and bone injuries falling from a height, the treatment for that is different from the treatment for specific organ injuries.
Takeaways
- Electrical injuries can be of four types; electric shock, electrocution, burns, and trauma to the brain.
- If someone has sustained an electrical injury, turn off the power source, take them to a safe place, and start first aid, which includes CPR.
- If there are burns, cool them down and take them to the hospital.
- If they have fallen from a height, they could have sustained a bone injury. Do not move them and wait for medical help to arrive.
