Electrocution Accident

Electrocution is the most serious electrical accident that can occur due to the high voltage required and the consequences. A person who has had an electrocution accident will be severely injured or will have died because of it. This is the type of electrical current that is still used for executions in some states. Also an accident with a high direct current such as the third rail on a subway track will usually cause death. If a person contacts a power line with a metal or other conducting object they will likely have a severe electrical injury.

Anyone that has an electrocution accident can have burns, seizures or muscle damage, internal organ damage, brain or spinal cord damage, heart failure or thermal burns and of course any of these injuries if serious enough can cause death. This type of accident can leave a person disfigured, disabled and quite possibly needing lifelong nursing care. The effect on the family will definitely be emotional, but also can be financial.

Electrocution accidents can happen anywhere there is electricity, but often happen in the workplace. If a company does not supply the proper protective equipment to worker who has to work with electrical current or if a worker is sent near high power lines with an aluminum ladder there is a good possibility of injury. Poorly wired equipment in factories and even poor wiring in the home or public buildings can send out a shock that may cause a severe injury. Obviously downed power lines that have been left live by the electric company are a great danger and they should be avoided at all costs. Even in the home there are products that, if manufactured defectively, can cause an electrical injury such as microwaves, hair dryers and of course power tools. Although the household current isn't too strong extension cords and wall sockets can give out an electrical shock.

Obviously electrocution accidents are possible almost anywhere and yet they can be prevented with maintenance, caution around power lines, proper equipment in the workplace, and safety instruction for all people working with electricity. If you or a family member has been burned or injured by electricity, you can receive advice at the Burn Survivor Resource Center, call 800-669-7700.