It’s another Safety Monday for our staff here at BWS! Mark started off our week with an educational discussion about safely working with electricity.
A common phrase heard in reference to electrical safety goes something like this: “It’s not voltage that kills, it’s current!” While there is an element of truth to this, there’s more to understand about shock hazard than this simple statement. If voltage presented no danger, no one would ever print and display signs saying: DANGER—HIGH VOLTAGE!
The principle that “current kills” is essentially correct. It is electric current that burns tissue, freezes muscles, and fibrillates hearts. Looking at household current (115volts ac) is very close to the same speed of the human heart rate. Close enough that if resistance is dropped in the body, and the person touches the electrical source, it can under certain conditions cause the heart to go into fibrillation or out of normal rhythm causing death. High voltage frequency is much further from the human heart rate reducing this risk, however, still very dangerous in regards to burns and muscle damage.
So for those of you who often work with and around electricity, please respect all forms of electrical sources! Have a safe week, everyone.
