Respect the Power of Electricity to Avoid Burns and Other Injuries
Although there is no need to fear using electricity, people should respect its power and understand how to handle it without being burned or otherwise injured or killed.

March 20, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Respect the Power of Electricity to Avoid Burns and Other Injuries

Electricity flows through the coffee makers that buzz in the morning, the traffic lights that conduct people to and from work or school, the computers and phones used for communication during the day and the night lights that glow while families sleep soundly at night. The same productive electrical currents that pulse within the veins of our daily environments can also be dangerous, however.

Faulty wiring or overloaded circuits can cause injuries to unsuspecting victims by sending shocks or starting fires. Although there is no need to fear using electricity, people should respect its power and understand how to handle it without being burned or otherwise injured or killed.

Flip of the Switch

When one Connecticut teacher recently went to flip the switch as usual when entering her classroom, she was left with lasting injuries from electricity-induced burns on one hand and internal damage from repeated shocks of electricity. Even though a previous inspection of the school had uncovered various electrical problems, code violations and outdated equipment, these issues were never fixed. The school cited a lack of financial resources needed to update the building properly as one reason for the appalling accident.

There may be some front-end financial costs to ensure safe and updated electrical systems in a home or building. However, the price of unsafe environments, such as the Connecticut school, is much higher when adults or children are injured or killed from electrical hazards. The teacher in this case survived, but injuries from electricity can be damaging, especially if high voltage is involved and dangerous currents travels through certain areas of the body.

Signs of Electrical Injuries

The most visible sign of an electrical burn is a skin burn, but since electricity often travels through different parts of the body, there may be both entry and exit wounds as well as internal burns and tissue damage. Depending on an electrical current's path and voltage level, it may have passed through the heart or brain, causing severe disruption to two vital parts of the body. Irregular heartbeats, broken or dislocated bones and issues with the spinal cord following a jolt of electricity may all be signs of electrical injuries.

The extent of an electrical burn injury depends not only on the current's route and intensity, but also on how long a person is exposed to the electricity and the amount of resistance their skin provides. According to the American Burn Association's 2009 report, over 3,800 of burn injuries reported in the U.S. were from electrical sources. Most of the electrical injuries, just over 60 percent, occurred during work-related activities. They are also more likely to happen in an industrial environment, but the causes of electrical burn injuries vary greatly.

Faulty Wiring and Other Causes

Electricity causes burn injuries both directly and indirectly. When a person comes in contact with an electrical current through light switches, outlets, live wires or electrical appliances, they may be burned directly as a result. While touching typical items that conduct electricity in the home may only result in minor skin burns, an unintentional brush with a high voltage power line may fatally burn or electrocute a person. Some burn injuries are caused by human error due to misusing, overloading or poorly maintaining electricity conductors, but accidents happen even when people are careful.

Other indicators of electrical problems may be lights that flicker, wall outlets or switches that are discolored, smell funny or feel hot or fuses and circuit breakers that are easily blown or tripped. When faulty wiring or other malfunctioning electrical devices or appliances give off enough heat, they can start fires in homes or other buildings. Insurance companies estimate that electrical fires also cause hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage each year. Many older houses in larger cities still have the original wiring, which may be why faulty wiring causes over 30 percent of residential electrical fires. These fires may then severely injure or kill people.

When Danger Strikes

Electrical currents can give life to many objects and entities, while at the same time they can potentially destroy or kill. When people do not comprehend or respect the power of electricity, the door is left open for electrical burns and related injuries to occur. Prevention is possible, however. Properly using and maintaining electrical appliances, conductors and wiring in homes and businesses is crucial. Employing safety measures like outlet covers and hiring professional electricians are also important steps, but you should also be ready for those occasions when danger strikes.

If an unfortunate incident occurs where you or your loved ones is burned or injured internally from contact with electricity or as a result of an electrical fire, call a local personal injury attorney immediately. The source of the electrical injuries may be due to negligence on the part of a third party. A lawyer experienced in electrical burns and fires may be able to help you or your family recover damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, past and future medical costs or wrongful death. You and your family deserve the best care and support in order to heal from the damage that electricity can inflict on the human body.

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