Electrocutions are one of the many life-threatening accidents that require immediate assistance. These accidents usually affect children at home and adults in working environments. The electric currents flowing into the human body may cause injury, burns potentially leading to organ damage, or even death in cases of large current flows.

The impact of electric shocks depend on several factors, such as body size, surface area of the affected body part, electric current strength and the duration of the electrocution. Some examples of the aftermath of electrocutions are burns, broken bones, heart attack, fainting, respiratory problems, muscle aches, heart rate issues, cardiac arrest, or even death. Therefore, people exposed to electric shocks must be helped immediately.

Here are five steps on how you can help

Before helping victims of electrocution, you must firstly understand how to handle them correctly in order to help protect yourself from getting electrocuted in the process. Here are the steps on how to help electrocution victims:

1. Secure the surrounding area

The first step to helping an electrocution victim is to pay close attention to the surrounding area. Make sure you are not within vicinity of any power source and, if possible, cut off any electricity at the location of the incident. Look for any electric panels or fuses to cut off electricity.

If you are unable to cut off any electricity, make sure you keep a safe distance of at least 5 meters to protect yourself from the electric current. Avoid touching any items that are wet, since water is a conductor for electricity. If there is fire in the surrounding area, put down the fire immediately using a fire extinguisher.

2. No physical contact with the victim

If the victim is still under electric shock or in contact with a power source, try to distance the victim with the power source. However, do not touch the victim directly to avoid electrocution. Take advantage of items with materials that are not conductors of electricity, such as wood, rubber and paper. When pulling or pushing the victim, avoid using wet materials or copper.

3. Seek medical help

After succeeding in releasing the victim from the power source, immediately check for the victim’s breath and pulse. Contact emergency services (118) to get immediate medical help in cases of:

• Electrocution
• Problem breathing
• Rapid heartbeats
• Seizures
• Burns on several body parts
• Vomiting, and
• Victim is unresponsive or unconscious

Make sure you are able to explain the incident clearly to the emergency personnel. If you are the victim of electrocution, scream for help after releasing yourself from the power source. Seek help from others to contact emergency services if you experience pain or any other complications.

4. Check the victim’s body

While waiting for help, stay with the victim and try to check the victim’s body for any signs of burns or injuries. If the victim shows signs of shock such as weakness, nausea, a pale face, or hyperventilation, immediately lay the victim down with the legs elevated higher than the head.

If the victim is unconscious, immediately check for a pulse. In cases of reduced breathing or no signs of breath, start doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

5. If there are burns caused by electrocution

Electrocution may cause burns on the body. If this happens, to avoid burns form further spreading to other areas of the body, remove any articles of clothing around the burnt body part.

Afterwards, cool down the burnt area with running water. In cases of severe burns, immerse the burn in water for some time. Wrap the burnt area with gauze to avoid further skin damage from friction caused by the surrounding air. Avoid using cloths that are sticky on burns.

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