Electric trauma

The electric trauma is the injury got owing to defeat of the person by electric current or a lightning.

And leading to an electric trauma are considered dangerous to the person the current exceeding 0,15amper, and also alternating and constant voltage more than 36 Volts. Effects of an electric trauma can be the most different: the blow by current can cause a cardiac standstill, blood circulations, breath, a loss of consciousness. Almost always the electric trauma is followed by damages of integuments, mucous membranes and bones on site of an entrance and an exit of electric discharge, leads to disturbance of activity of the central and peripheral nervous system.

Types of electric traumas

Electric traumas classify by the place of their receiving, the nature of influence of voltage, the nature of an injury (local and general electric traumas).

Depending on the place of receiving, allocate such types of electric traumas: production, natural and household.

On the nature of influence of electric current the electric trauma can be instant and chronic. Instant defeat by current is a receiving by the person the electric discharge exceeding tolerance level for very short period. Such electric trauma is followed by the serious damages demanding resuscitation and surgical intervention. And such type of an electric trauma as chronic, arises because of long and imperceptible impact of voltage on the person. An example – work near generators of big power. At people who are exposed to such type of an electric trauma increased fatigue, a sleep disorder and memories, headaches, a tremor, supertension, expansion of pupils are observed.

Besides, it is accepted to allocate also such types of an electric trauma as local and the general. The local electric trauma is a burn, an electroophthalmia, metallization of integuments (hit under skin and fusion under the influence of an electric arch of fine metal particles), mechanical damages. And the general electric traumas arise at defeat by electric current of various muscular groups which is shown by spasms, a cardiac standstill, breath

Reasons of electric traumas

As the reasons of electric traumas in most cases (percent 80-90) serves direct contact with current carrying elements of electrical units, work with them without preliminary removal of tension. The negligence and a carelessness – wrong giving of tension and shutdown of a source of current, an unsatisfactory condition of isolation are the main reasons of electric traumas.

In other words, the reasons of electric traumas can be systematized as follows: technical reasons (malfunction of the equipment, its wrong operation), organizational (failure to follow safety regulations), and also psychophysiological (fatigue, reduced attention).

It was noticed that on production the huge percent of electric traumas falls on time of the termination and the beginning of shifts (shift change), and also on morning (first) shift. In the first case the large role is played by a fatigue factor, and in the second – feature of planning of the working day: the maximum number of works with electroinstallations falls on morning hours.

The help at an electric trauma

Irrespective of a type of an electric trauma (only if it is not natural, as a result of lightning stroke) first of all, giving help to the victim, follows in any available way to cut off power a defeat source: to press the switch on the device, to turn a knife switch, to unscrew traffic jams or to tear off electric wires.

Giving help at an electric trauma, it is impossible to forget about precautionary measures: it is possible to remove wires from the victim only with use of the insulated tools, or by means of any other, but dry subject, surely having put on rubber gloves. Also, without having protected the hands, it is impossible to touch the person injured by electric current if wires are not disconnected.

The person who got an electric trauma the general or local it is necessary to put on a plain surface, it is obligatory to call the ambulance and to take the following actions:

1. To check pulse, and at its absence (a blood circulation stop) to carry out an indirect cardiac massage;

2. To check breath and if it is absent, to carry out an artificial respiration;

3. If there are pulse and breath, it is necessary to put the victim on a stomach and at the same time to turn his head sideways. So the person will be able freely to breathe and will not choke with emetic masses;

4. It is necessary to apply a bandage burns got at an electric trauma, surely dry and pure. If feet or brushes are burned, it is necessary to lay the curtailed bandage or cotton plugs between fingers;

5. To perform inspection of the victim regarding other accompanying injuries and if necessary to give help;

6. If the person in consciousness, is recommended to allow to it to drink liquid in large numbers;

Giving help at an electric trauma, it is impossible to leave the victim of one, and surely it is necessary to organize his transportation in medical institution where he is inspected and will give professional help. It is necessary to make it even if externally defeats seem insignificant: position of the patient can change at any time.