Electrocution – Construction, Operation, and Processes

Posted: August 26th, 2021

Student’s Name

Instructor’s Name

Course

Date

Electrocution – Construction, Operation, and Processes

Electrocution is the passing of electric current via the body in terms of electric shocks, leading to death or austere injury. The phrase was first coined in 1889 in the US through the use of an electric chair thatexecuted criminal offenders to death.Nonetheless, electrocution has been recently described as an environmental cause of death from commercial electricity.

Majorly, electrocution comprises dangerous currents that sustain electric shocks that stop the functioning of the heart, leading to death (Waldmann et al. 1461). Specifically, low currents ranging from 70 to 700 mAinitiate fibrillation in the heart, a nearly fatal process that might seem irreversible without urgent help. For example, alternative currents (AC) as low as 30 mA or direct currents (DC) of about 400 mA might trigger fibrillation, mainly when applied to the body surface (Waldmann et al. 1464). However, large currents of more than 1 A result in perpetual damage vis-à-vis burns, thus contributing to cellular damage.

Historically, electrocution accounts for approximately 20% of all mortalities in construction sites (Zhao, McCoy, Kleiner, andSmith-Jackson 144). A large number of the fatalities are caused by overhead contact with power lines, for example, the case of a boom truck.According toZhao, McCoy, Kleiner, andSmith-Jackson (145),there are other exceptional cases of electrocution at the construction site, which encompassdump trucks, backhoes, andlow-tech equipment, such as ladders and rolling scaffolds. Thus, exposure to open electricity includes, among others, the leading causes of injuries to site workers.

The following mitigation strategies may be involved to avoid instances of electrocution. First, engineers need to locate and identify all overhead power lines to establish specific voltages before construction (Zhao, McCoy, Kleiner, andSmith-Jackson 143). Second, they need to shift and insulate all power lines within urban areas and contact the local utility authority in case of fault lines(Zhao, McCoy, Kleiner, andSmith-Jackson 148). Therefore, engineers need to install a signaler in case of cranes or backhoe moving closer than 3 meters towards power lines of more or equal to 750 volts.

Works Cited

Waldmann, Victor et al.“Electrical cardiac injuries: Current concepts and management.”European Heart Journal, vol. 39, no. 16, 2018, pp. 1459-1465. ProQuest, doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx142

Zhao, Dong, McCoy, Andrew P., Kleiner, Brian M., and Tonya L. Smith-Jackson. “Control measures of electrical hazards: An analysis of the construction industry.” Safety Science, vol. 77, no. 1, 2015, pp. 143-151.