UK DIY Shocker!!!

[DIYer Gaz]

Hi guys,

I hope everyone is well.

So to detail my experience, I had a loose wire behind my electric cooker mains plug, so I tested the plug after sorting the wire forgot to turn off the mains at the box and yes as you can guess as I went to push the socket into the wall to screw in, two fingers on eight hand touches the metal box behind the socket all whilst being barefoot standing on the kitchen floor. Never felt anything like it, straight up my eight arm fuzzy head and all that. This was late last night about 10.30pm. Should I be worried? It is fair to say I will be staying away from electrics from now on.

 

[Andy78]

You should ring NHS direct and take their guidance. It's advised to get a check up after a shock, but in the current climate I have no idea what's possible.

 

[buzzlightyear]

That's completely shocking. Me I would have sat down pored a whiskey and said I'm glad to be alive.if there was any blisters on the hand that I would go to hospital.

 

[radiohead]

Hopefully lesson learnt as next time you may not be so lucky. As Andy has said you would be advised to talk to the NHS as a severe shock can interrupt the hearts rhythm without the victim being aware. That said it is probably unlikely. I believe the NHS has expressed concern that conditions other than CV are being left in the present climate, and they have clearly stated if you would normally seek treatment for an accident you should still do so.
I am immensely pleased however that you didn't claim to be thrown across the room, as almost all non-electricians laughably do.

 

[pc1966]

As others have said, there can be longer-term effects but the fact your are alive and well enough to post here 12 hours later is a good sign!

Given that, and assuming you feel OK now (other than psychological shock, so no sign of burns or so on your fingers and no unusual heart beat) it might be worth speaking to the NHS direct just in case, but I suspect the current risk of getting COVID-19 from an A&E trip is probably greater than doing nothing.

But you still have a dangerous cooker to deal with! I would suggest you should put off the cooker circuit at your consumer unit (fuse box) until it can be fixed.

Just now that is probably the last concern, but it has to be made safe and I would see if you can get a local sparky in to check it over. If that is not possible (or you / someone in your home is being shielded as at-risk from COVID-19) then do you have another cooking option like a microwave oven to use?

 

[DIYer Gaz]

Thanks guys. Yeah it was a quick touch and pull away of the hand. Would this be classed as a mild or severe shock given it did not burn my fingers or send me flying across the room? I may have used an expletive or two.

 

[pc1966]

Thanks guys. Yeah it was a quick touch and pull away of the hand. Would this be classed as a mild or severe shock given it did not burn my fingers or send me flying across the room? I may have used an expletive or two.

It sounds like a "mild shock" as you had limited contact and were able to pull away.

The bigger risk is when the shock is hand-to-hand or (in your case suspect) hand-to-foot as then it passes around the heart and can cause fibrillation (disruption of the beating pattern) and that is the most common reason for death, not major burns.

What makes things worse is the shock causes involuntary contraction, in your case probably a pull-away movement, but if you have gripped round something like a pipe/handle/etc then you find you simply can't let go no matter how you try.

These days a lot of circuits have RCD (residual current device) protection to detect the most common danger of a shock from live to earth but not all houses have that fitted, and some don't have it on fixed circuits such as cookers, etc.

As RCD became cheaper over the years the wiring regulations started to specify them on more types of circuit, but the regulations are not retrospective - you don't have to update house wiring that is otherwise safe to the standard it was installed to - and so it takes decades for these to become common.

 

[Strima]

As has been said contact the NHS. All they will do is stick you on the little machine that goes ping for a while to ensure your heart rhythm is correct. Most local treatment centres will be able to do this rather than A&E.

Sooner rather than later.

 

[James]

My concern is that contacting the metal box SHOULD NOT GIVE YOU A SHOCK.

There may be a damaged cable and or a missing earth.
Please get this switched off at the fuse box until it can be properly checked for safety.

 

[DIYer Gaz]

It sounds like a "mild shock" as you had limited contact and were able to pull away.

The bigger risk is when the shock is hand-to-hand or (in your case suspect) hand-to-foot as then it passes around the heart and can cause fibrillation (disruption of the beating pattern) and that is the most common reason for death, not major burns.

What makes things worse is the shock causes involuntary contraction, in your case probably a pull-away movement, but if you have gripped round something like a pipe/handle/etc then you find you simply can't let go no matter how you try.

These days a lot of circuits have RCD (residual current device) protection to detect the most common danger of a shock from live to earth but not all houses have that fitted, and some don't have it on fixed circuits such as cookers, etc.

As RCD became cheaper over the years the wiring regulations started to specify them on more types of circuit, but the regulations are not retrospective - you don't have to update house wiring that is otherwise safe to the standard it was installed to - and so it takes decades for these to become common.

Thanks for the explanation. That is worrying that is passed around my heart! Worried about getting checked out with the current pandemic!

 

[telectrix]

check that your pulse is regular. relaxed it should be < 70 bpm.

 

[pc1966]

Thanks for the explanation. That is worrying that is passed around my heart! Worried about getting checked out with the current pandemic!

With "dry" fingers (i.e. not soaking wet like bathroom, etc) and screw-sized contact area you probably won't have had more than around 25-50mA and it sounds like your contact time would have been a fraction of a second, so looking at the typical danger levels here:

Electrical injury - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You are probably were roughly in the middle of that graph, possibly in in the green area, maybe in to the yellow if contact longer than 1/4 second, but unlikely to have entered the red zone where there is an increasing danger to health/life.

Still best to speak to the NHS direct line and getting a medial opinion based on your health history and so on.

As said already, we (as electrical folk, not medical) are more worried by the risk your cooker may be/become live and present a greater risk of the same or worse!

 

[Midwest]

Thanks for the explanation. That is worrying that is passed around my heart! Worried about getting checked out with the current pandemic!

Ring them God damn you! That's said in a rather fatherly voice.

 

[Ziggie]

The hospitals are working normally. Get there now. They will run a heart trace and its best to be sure.

Do not waste time chatting

 

[radiohead]

Thanks guys. Yeah it was a quick touch and pull away of the hand. Would this be classed as a mild or severe shock given it did not burn my fingers or send me flying across the room? I may have used an expletive or two.

Pleeeese...NO! NO! NO!
I gave you credit for not claiming to have been thrown across the room and now you've gone and completely ruined it by suggesting you could have been!!
For the record.
Anyone claiming to have been thrown across the room is telling whoppers.