What effect does electric current have on the body? The effect of electric current on a person

The effect of electricity on the human body

In this section, we will try to correct a very common error in electronics textbooks related to ignoring or insufficiently detailed disclosure of the topic of electrical safety. If you are reading this article, then you are or are going to do practical work with electricity, and the topic of safety is of paramount importance to you. Those authors, editors and publishers who for some reason do not include this topic in their writings are depriving the reader of vital information.

Work activity is read when it is regulated by the legal framework of both parties. Powers: legislative; law enforcement agencies In addition to this law, there are still a number of laws governing the safety and health of workers, ie. rules, regulations, regulations, institutions, etc. there are only a few companies in Lithuania that meet these requirements.

Occupational safety and health obligations of employers and employees. The employer must ensure the safety and health of the employee. All requirements are mostly written by the employer. The employer must: provide employees with personal, collective protective equipment; create suitable living conditions; train employees, instruct them, supervise and advise them; provision of medical services; insure workers against accidents; to provide working equipment.

Most of us have experienced some form of electrical shock resulting in pain or injury. Basically, such an experience is limited to tingling or painful shock due to the discharge of static electricity. When working with electrical diagrams, which produce more power at loads, pain is the least significant result of an electric shock.

In the event of an accident, the employer must provide emergency medical assistance and, in accordance with the established procedure, receive a free medical examination. The employee must: know the requirements of the law and implement them; work with work clothes; use personal protective equipment or collective protective equipment; take measures to eliminate factors that can lead to accidents and injuries, and inform employers about this. an employee may refuse to work if his health and life are threatened.

Walkthrough electric current through a material with some kind of resistance, leads to the dissipation of energy in the form of heat. This is the most basic form of the effect of electricity on living tissue: under the influence of current, it heats up. If a large amount of heat is released, the fabric can simply be burned. In fact, the effect of electric shock is similar to that of exposure to open flames or other sources of high temperatures, but in addition, electricity can burn tissue under the skin of a person, and even his internal organs.

Potentially dangerous equipment and work. Each of these groups has specific rules for design, manufacture, installation, repair, and storage. Hazardous work is risky work during which the accidental effect of a harmful action is possible. Harmful factors: physical; chemical; biological. These are such works as work with harmful and poisonous, flammable and fresh materials, work under water, work above 5 m from the ground, etc. workers performing these jobs are subject to specific requirements. requirements, i.e. they are trained and certified.

Even more dangerous is the effect of electric current on the human nervous system. The "nervous system" is the body's network of specialized cells called "nerve cells" or "neurons" that process and conduct a vast array of signals that control all bodily functions. The brain, spinal cord and sensory-motor organs function as a whole in the body, allowing it to feel, move, react, think and remember.

Occupational safety and health control and social partnership. Control forms: state; interior. The main thing. Functions: firefighting, rescue and fire control, which are based on the purpose is to prevent fires. Internal control is carried out by the company's security and health services and employees' representatives. The employer must install said service or hire an employee to ensure safety and health at work. The service is created when the company has more than 50 employees, and less - the functions can be performed by persons appointed by the employer.

Nerve cells interact with each other according to the principle of "transformation": they create electrical signals (very small voltages and currents) in response to the input of certain chemical compounds called neurotransmitters , and release these neurotransmitters when stimulated by electrical signals. If an electric current of sufficient magnitude passes through a person, then under its influence the tiny electrical impulses generated by neurons will be repeatedly exceeded, which will lead to overload of the nervous system and blocking of reflexes and muscle control signals. At the same time, the latter will involuntarily decrease, and a person will not be able to do anything about it.

These services oversee the company's security requirements. It consists of a tripartite principle, i.e. it includes representatives of government agencies, employers' and workers' organizations. The aim is to harmonize the requirements of legislation in the field of occupational safety and health among themselves and to submit proposals to legislators.

Represents employees in the company. Training, certification and coaching for employers and employees. Both employers and employees should be trained once a year every 5 years on occupational safety and health. Curricula are formed and approved by the State Labor Market and the Ministry of Social Protection. All educational institutions with a special license can teach. A three-person committee approves: representatives educational institution and a representative of the State Labor Inspectorate.

A particularly dangerous situation can arise if a person touches a live wire with his hand. The muscles of the forearm, which are responsible for clenching the fingers, are much better developed than the muscles responsible for unclenching the fingers, therefore, when an electric current is applied to both muscle groups, the clenching muscles will win and clench the fingers into a fist. At the same time, if the wire is located on the side of the palm, then the fingers will clasp it, exacerbating the current situation. A person will no longer be able to release the wire on his own.

The results are written to the record certificate. This is important because in the event of an accident and when an employee does not have a certificate, the entire error falls on him. Inspection and training procedures are established by the employer. All employees of the company, regardless of their length of service, must be instructed in matters of safety and health of employees. Required teachers: introductory; main workplace; periodic workplace; additional workplace; special work place.

It is carried out for all employees without exception. It represents the specifics of the company, its security, behavior, etc. a 75-year-old coaching journal is kept under the direction of an authorized person of the employer. Primary instr. mandatory for all whose work is associated with certain risk factors. Instructs the block manager. Additional inst. is carried out after a change in technological processes or the nature of production under the leadership of the State Labor Inspector. In case of accidents at work or the approval of new agencies.

Medically, involuntary muscle contraction is called numbness . There is only one way to get an electric shocked person out of a state of stupor: to stop the passage of current through him.

Even after the cessation of exposure to electric current, a person will not be able to regain control over his muscles for some time until the balance of neurotransmitters is normalized. Devices such as "stun guns" are built on this principle, which, with the help of a high-voltage pulse, can incapacitate a person for some time (up to several minutes).

And it is entered every time before starting work. All briefings are conducted in accordance with the instructions drawn up and approved by the employer. The most important punishment is dismissal. The fine is imposed for a month and can be appealed to the court. Full or complete mat. Liability applies when the employee is a criminal offense or is a criminal offence. Fine - no more than 3 years in prison and all other penalties. It is only punishable for violations that have a direct causal relationship to the consequences.

Electric current can affect not only the muscles of the skeleton, but also the muscles of the diaphragm and the heart. To disrupt the work of the heart and cause arrhythmia a small amount of current is sufficient. In this case, the normal heartbeat will be replaced by "flutter", which will not be able to provide effective pumping of blood to the vital organs of the body. If the current through the body is strong enough, then death will occur from suffocation or from cardiac arrest. Strange as it may seem, but to restore the heartbeat, doctors also use a powerful electric current applied to a person’s chest.

Accidents and occupational diseases. An accident at work is an event that occurs while working at the time of injury. An occupational disease is a chronic or sudden injury to health caused by one or more hazards. Occupational diseases are classified as: chronic, long-term exposure; Acute - a quick or sudden illness. Often suffer from respiratory diseases. Accidents are divided into: easy, when the worker becomes incapacitated for no more than 1 day, healing without any residual effects; when an employee experiences a traumatic health injury that results in health consequences; is fatal when a life-threatening traumatic event occurs and dies immediately or some time later.

And the last thing we will consider in this article is the dangers inherent in electrical networks common use. Although our initial research on electrical circuits will focus exclusively on direct current (DC), most modern household appliances use alternating current (AC) for power. The technical reasons for preferring AC to DC in power systems are beyond the scope of this article, but the inherent hazards of each electrical energy very important in terms of security.

The characteristics of the classification of accidents are set out in the Rules for Accounting and Testing Accidents. Accidents are work-related and non-work-related. If it is work related, the employer pays for the treatment, if not related, he pays social insurance. Disaster work. an incident occurs when work is performed in accordance with the agreement of the employer by agreement with the employer or on behalf of, when the employer assigns on behalf of the employer, to the employee or transport worker of the employee working in the enterprise for his own purposes, but with the consent of the employer when working in civic duty, sports, culture or others. events at the request of the employer.

The nature of the impact of alternating current on the human body largely depends on its frequency. In Russia, USA and European countries, low frequency alternating current (50 - 60 Hz) is used. Such a current is more dangerous than high frequency alternating current, and 3-5 times more dangerous than D.C. equal voltage. The impact of low frequency alternating current leads to a prolonged contraction of the muscles, which will not allow you to remove the hand that has squeezed the wire from this wire. Exposure to direct current will cause a single convulsive muscle contraction, after which the affected person will be able to move away from the current source.

You see 51% of this article. EXPLOSION HAZARD - Explosion in an atmosphere of flammable mixtures due to sparks from static electricity, switching, etc. This usually applies to high voltage installations. Dangerous currents flow through the human body. This can lead to serious biological damage, even death.

Secondary accidents from the patient are usually electrical currents that can cause, for example, falling or slipping due to panic. Contact with a worn power cord. Contact with an electrical device or a device that has a malfunction resulting in short circuit or leak.

Alternating current is more likely to cause cardiac arrhythmia, while direct current can stop it. After the effect of the current on the body stops, then the stopped heart has a better chance of restoring a normal heartbeat than a heart with an arrhythmia (fluttering). Therefore, defibrillators used by emergency physicians use a direct current shock that stops the arrhythmia and gives the heart a chance to recover.

Discharge of static electricity. Rule of thumb: Electricity always follows the direction of least resistance. Low values ​​occur when the skin is thin, moist and the contact surface is large. The current is usually not perceived. These low intensities are not lethal. They can, however, be in contact, cause a reflexive movement of fear. 0.5 mA to 10 mA The arm becomes slightly stiff and feels numb, which can be stretched due to heart rate.

If the contact continues, we feel tightness in the hand, reaching the whole hand as the current increases. These cramps can be so severe that it is impossible to pull the hand out of the canal. Women can no longer remove their members from the channel, while men feel a partial loss of muscle control and severe pain. The muscles are tight and sore. When this muscle contraction reaches the pectoral muscles, it prevents breathing, which can lead to death by asphyxia.

Now we know that electric currents are dangerous and interaction with them must be avoided. In subsequent articles in this section, we will look at what currents enter and leave the human body, and we will study precautions when working with electricity.

Short review:

    Electric current can cause deep and severe burns in the human body due to power dissipation through electrical resistance body.

    Fibrillation of the heart. In these cases, the only means of saving the victim is artificial respiration. Its main characteristics: pulse impulses are produced periodic, arrhythmic. The heart cannot release blood. Decreased oxygenation of the brain.

    The latter can lead to minutes before death or permanent weakness of part of the brain. The operations in the steps to be followed are as follows: Load the general switch Remove the victim from the network using insulating material place him in the airway restraint position. PREVENTION 23 Know where the switch is Find out where the nearest phone is and knew by heart the first emergency phones, first aid, direct action, fire extinguishers know where they are and the pharmacy fire extinguisher Do not maneuver before determining which channels are live.

    torpor - this is a situation in which the muscles of a person inadvertently contract due to the passage of an external electric current through his body.

    The muscles of the diaphragm (lungs) and the heart are also affected by the electrical current. To disrupt the work of the heart and cause arrhythmia a small amount of current is sufficient.

    The access path to the switchboards must be kept clear at all times for maintenance purposes or to cut off the power supply in the event of an emergency. The electrical equipment must be suitable for the prevailing conditions. NEVER interrupt the grounding of the device. The device will become dangerous to your life.

    Regularly check device grounding and cable quality in your business. A mass of cable with multiple connectors, tools thrown away right and left leads to superficial thinking, actions without prior study and general accidents. Make your connections with cables of the correct length to avoid having live connectors exposed. NEVER work on wet floors when in contact with electrical circuits.

    Alternating current is more likely to cause an arrhythmia of the heart, while direct current can stop it.

The effect of electricity on the human body

Regularly check the condition of the leakage circuit breaker by pressing the test button and observing the power off. There is always another person next to you to interrupt the delivery if necessary. Avoid touching the chains with both hands. The current passing through one arm to the other crosses your heart, making the shock more dangerous. DO NOT spread while working on a live circuit or talking to a colleague who works under power.

During the short time when your circuits are energized and making measurements, maximum concentration and attention is required. Someone can click on a connection and be shocked by the click. NEVER work under voltage. The stop is in all phases and at points on either side of the work. It must be visible. Protection against unauthorized recovery Attention of the electric power!

IMPACT OF ELECTRIC CURRENT ON THE HUMAN BODY. Flowing through the human body, the electric current produces thermal, electrolytic, mechanical and biological effects.

thermal action current manifests itself in burns of certain parts of the body, heating to high temperatures of blood vessels, nerves, heart, brain, and other organs located on the current path, which causes serious functional disorders in them (i.e., disorders of the specific activity of organs).

Electrolytic action current is expressed in the decomposition of an organic fluid, including blood, which is accompanied by significant violations of its physico-chemical composition.

mechanical action current is manifested in the occurrence of significant pressure in the blood vessels and tissues of the body during the evaporation of blood and other fluids, as well as in their displacement and mechanical stress under the influence of electrodynamic forces. In this case, severe damage to various tissues and blood vessels can occur.

Biological action current is manifested in the irritation of internal bioelectric processes occurring in a normally functioning organism and closely related to its vital functions. Irritation of living tissues by electric current causes a response in them - excitation, which is one of the main physiological processes and is characterized by the fact that living formations pass from a state of relative physiological rest to a state of activity specific to them. Thus, the excitation of muscle tissue, due to the current passing through it, manifests itself in the form of involuntary muscle contractions, i.e., motor effects. Violation of bioelectric processes is as follows. In living tissue, and primarily in muscles (including the heart muscle), as well as in the central and peripheral nervous systems, electrical potentials constantly arise - biopotentials, which are associated with the emergence and spread of the excitation process, i.e. with the transition living tissue into a state of active activity. An external electric current, acting with a biocurrent, the value of which is very small, can disrupt the normal nature of its action on human tissues and organs, suppress biocurrents and thereby cause specific disorders in the body up to its death.

The table shows data on the passage of current through the human body along the path "hand - hand" or "hand - foot".

The nature of the impact of electric current on the human body

Current value, mA

Alternating current
industrial frequency

D.C

Slight itching, tingling of the skin under the electrodes

Not felt

Sensation of current spreads to the wrist, slightly reduces the hand

Not felt

Pain intensifies in the hand, accompanied by convulsions. Weak pains - in the whole arm. It is possible to overcome the convulsive contraction of the muscles and open the hand in which the electrode is clamped

Weak feeling of skin heating under the electrode

Violent pains and cramps in the whole arm. It is difficult, but you can take your hand off the electrode

Increased sensation of skin heating

Hardly bearable pains in the whole arm increase with time. Can't take my hand off the electrode

An even greater increase in the sensation of heating both under the electrodes and in the adjacent areas of the skin

Hands are paralyzed instantly, it is impossible to tear them off the electrodes. Severe pain, difficulty breathing

An even greater increase in the heating of the skin, the appearance of a sensation of internal heating. Minor muscle contractions

Very severe pain in arms and chest. Breathing is extremely difficult. With prolonged flow of current, respiratory paralysis or a weakening of the activity of the heart with loss of consciousness may occur.

Sensation of intense heat, pain and cramps in the arms. When the hands are separated from the electrodes, hardly tolerable pain occurs as a result of convulsive muscle contraction.

Breathing becomes paralyzed after a few seconds. The work of the heart is disrupted. With prolonged current flow, cardiac fibrillation may occur.

Sensation of very strong superficial and internal heating, severe pains in the whole arm and in the chest. Difficulty breathing. Hands cannot be torn off the electrodes due to severe pain at the time of contact failure

Respiratory paralysis with prolonged current flow

Same action in less time

Fibrillation of the heart after 20-30 s; after a few seconds - respiratory paralysis

Breathing is paralyzed immediately - in a fraction of a second. Cardiac fibrillation usually does not occur; temporary cardiac arrest during the current flow is possible. With prolonged current flow (several seconds), severe burns, tissue destruction. Usually fatal


Russian encyclopedia of labor protection. - M.: NTs ENAS. Ed. V. K. Varova, I. A. Vorobieva, A. F. Zubkova, N. F. Izmerova. 2007 .

See what "Impact of electric current on the human body" is in other dictionaries:

    Excitation of the living tissues of the body by an electric current flowing through it, manifested in involuntary convulsive contractions of various muscles of the body. The whole organism is under threat of damage due to disruption of the normal functioning of various ... ...

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