This book is written mainly for attorneys, physicians, and investigators who are concerned with accidents associated with electric current. It is based on approximately 50 years of personal research, augmented by experience in teaching medical and biomedical engineering students and as an expert witness in litigation involving electrical injury. The material is presented in two ways: non-technically, for attorneys and physicians, and technically, for their expert witnesses and engineers. Since there is no typical electrical accident, the accidents described and the material presented in the chapters are selected to aid the reader in explaining the cause of any particular electrical accident. The first chapter presents a short history of electrical accidents, along with selected accident descriptions in the home, work place, and hospital. Chapter 2 deals with the fundamental processes whereby electric current stimulates excitable tissue, such as sensory receptors, nerves, and muscles. The response to the passage of low-frequency alternating current through the body-e.g., muscle stimulation, ventricular fibrillation, and burns-is covered in Chapter 3. Lightning and lightning injuries are discussed in Chapter 4. The effects of high-frequency (electrosurgical and diathermy) currents-and the types of injury encountered-are discussed in Chapter 5. Because current preferentially seeks tissues with the lowest resistivity, Chapter 6 provides knowledge of the resistivity values for tissues, organs, and body fluids, allowing estimation of the current path. The same chapter presents information on the resistance of body segments and of a contacting conductor, showing the nonlinear nature of such contacts where tissues are boiled, charred, and burned.

This book is written mainly for attorneys, physicians, and investigators who are concerned with accidents associated with electric current. It is based on approximately 50 years of personal research, augmented by experience in teaching medical and biomedical engineering students and as an expert witness in litigation involving electrical injury. The material is presented in two ways: non-technically, for attorneys and physicians, and technically, for their expert witnesses and engineers. Since there is no typical electrical accident, the accidents described and the material presented in the chapters are selected to aid the reader in explaining the cause of any particular electrical accident.

NFPA's far-reaching Electrical Safety in the Workplace teaches individuals safe work procedures and provides companies with a process for defining and implementing effective electrical safety programs. The text draws on the authors' 35 years of experience in developing corporate standards and procedures and electrical safety programs, and is up-to-date with the 1999 NEC(R) and NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. Chapters cover critical information about electrical hazards and hazard analysis, explain risk exposure management, and discuss NFPA codes and documents published by OSHA, NEMA, UL, and ANSI. Concepts applicable to both commercial and industrial activities include: persuasive statistics on the benefits of electrically safe workplaces, plus proper practices such as lockout/tagout and responsibility of personnel; advice on designing and implementing electrical safety programs; real-life examples and case studies of electrical accidents; and tips on working with safety professionals and effective workplace auditing procedures.Electrical Safety in the Workplace is a must for professionals involved in construction and heavy industry, electrical contractors, and union and trade group trainers.

How to prevent electrical hazards in the workplace is the focus of this guide. It spells out proper design, maintenance, and operating procedures for minimizing the risks of electrical fires, accidents, and injuries on the job. Coverage of the latest electrical standards helps you comply with the current National Electrical Code (NEC)?? and OSHA requirements. NEC requirements and procedures are provided for grounding an electrical distribution system, selecting proper conductors, sizing the feeder, and effective branch circuit overcurrent protection. Safety considerations are explored for single and three-phase systems, fuses, plugs, and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). The guide also clarifies factors that influence soil resistivity, and it analyzes correction factors for special situations such as high ambient temperature environments. Human responses to electric shock are covered in detail. Among the important areas addressed are the approximate electrical impedance of the human body, thresholds of shock perception, let-go currents, asphyxia, ventricular fibrillation, and respiratory arrest. A bounty of solutions to help you solve electrical safety problems related to: * Hazardous locations -- Find out how to assess potential ignition sources, ventilation requirements, surface temperature conditions, and conduit and cable sealing requirements. * Current-carrying conductors in fire environments -- See how to evaluate insulation behavior, conductor melting temperatures, and the effects of nicks and broken strands, as well as how to make investigations at the scene of a fire. * Lightning protection -- Equip yourself to determine the probability of lightning strikes in specific locations, and mitigate the effects of a direct strike on buildings, equipment, and personnel. How to provide voltage surge protection is also discussed. * Static electricity -- Learn about the fundamentals of electrical charge induction and mechanisms for static charge ignition. Numerous case histories provide valuable insights into accident provention. In addition, the guide provides a review of electricity basics ranging from definitions of terms to the physics of the electric arc. It provides full-scope coverage of all electrical safety issues in the workplace. Electrical Hazards and Accidents: Their Cause and Prevention is an essential source for facility engineers, electrical engineers, plant engineers, plant managers, electricians, regulatory managers, and accident and insurance investigators.

This brief presents information on occupational injuries from electric shock and arc flash events through a review of literature, electrical incident data, and similar sources. It includes pertinent information such as the nature of the incident, adherence to safety requirements, use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and extent of injury. Chapters address arc flash and shock hazards, and the need for empirical incident data on the actual hazards that may be experienced when equipment faults or adverse electrical events occur. Certain tasks where the risk of an arc flash or shock hazard may be lower, such as normal operation of properly installed and maintained equipment, may not require the use of any special PPE. Some of this risk reduction is based on anecdotal data, and the brief details why future research challenges will need more empirical incident data on the actual hazards and associated injuries that may be experienced when equipment faults or adverse electrical events occur. Designed for professionals and researchers in fire protection engineering, workplace electrical tasks, or workplace safety, this brief offers a thorough overview of the trends in electrical injuries and the costs related to those injuries.

This is an accident-avoiding prescription for electricians, safety managers, and inspectors, and engineers dealing with electricity any voltage level. Presenting crucial protective safety strategies for industrial and commercial systems, the Handbook references all major safety codes (OSHA, NEC, NESC, and NFPA) where appropriate, creating a unique, one-stop compliance manual for any company’s electrical safety training and reference needs.