Overview
- Injuries caused when electric current passes through body
- Source may be natural or man-made
What happens during electric shock?
- Makes you fall down
- Muscle contraction
- Seizures
- Dehydration
- Burns
- Fractures
- Clotting of blood
- Tissue death (narcosis)
- Respiratory/Heart/Kidney failure
Steps to follow
- Do not attempt to move the victim from current source
- First step is to switch off the current source
- Otherwise, move the source using a wooden stick
- Attend to the victim
- Check for breathing
- No breathing, do Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Call emergency medical aid
- If breathing, do a physical examination
- Treat for minor burns
- Re-establish vital functions
- Excessive burns may require hospitalization/ surgery
- Supportive care must be provided
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Prevention
- Proper design, installation, maintenance of electric devices
- Educating the public regarding electrical devices
- Keep electrical gadgets out of children’s reach
- Learn to respect electricity and electrical devices
