Question about electric shock

[dylan3789]

I'm hoping someone can help me out.

At the weekend, I did a stupid thing, and that was to try and fix a light fitting without turning off the electrics. I know I'm going to be told that I shoudn't be touching anything electrical without doing so and that I have no business doing electrical DIY if I can't do a simple thing; I've never done anything this stupid before and I can't really explain why I didn't turn things off - except that I wasn't dealing with bare wires or anything so it just didn't cross my mind.

The light fitting is one I put up the other day; it's a hanging pendant light and the issue is that the glass shade and the bayonet bulb holder weren't aligned and the bulb holder is a bit wonky. I gripped the holder after unscrewing the outside part and was trying to straighten it when the palm of my hand must have touched one of the bayonet connectors and I received an electric shock. I was wearing trainers at the time and standing on a wooden chair. I felt my arm shake/move and it went up to the side of my face, which also felt like it was moving and rippling strongly; this lasted for 1-2 seconds and I let go.

I felt fine afterwards but went to A&E to get checked out; they did an ECG and tested for any muscle damage that might show up in a blood test (apparently a serious enough shock and cause muscle to break down and this builds up in the bloodstream).

What I'm trying to establish is how much current was likely to have gone through me. I know that resistance can depend on a lot of things; my hands were dry at the time and the connector touched the centre of my palm, where the skin is quite thick. I'm guessing the electricity passed down my arm and into my face, rather than down my body, because there was a lot of resistance between me and the earth. I did wonder if it went to my face because there are amalgam fillings in some of my teeth but I don't know if that's really likely.

I'm trying to work out how serious a shock this was, as the doctor I saw in A&E was very concerned about possible internal damage that can't be seen, and in his opinion, the absence of an entry/exit wound doesn't necessarily mean all is completely fine. If I only touched one connector, is that 120 volts or still 240? I didn't get thrown about/off the chair and I was able to let go of my own accord once I realised what was happening.

I'm not worried too much about internal damage, to be honest, as I do feel fine; I'm more interested in trying to establish exactly what happened as it's made me realise that my knowledge of electricity in the home needs to be better. And yes, I always need to turn off the fuse - so please don't reprimand me for not doing so: enough people have already told me off!

Any advice would be great, thank you.

Dylan.

 

[Pete999]

Tel I know what he did and what an icon he was, but really that rendition was horrendous, nothing less, sorry mate but I;ll stick with the BH version.not fade away grateful dead - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=not+fade+away+grateful+dead

maybe this version is more to your liking

 

[Pete999]

This one sorry

 

[breakerman]

Your body resistance when dry can be as high as 80,000 -100,000 ohms but as low as a few thousand wet, so many variable also can effect this figure like your health, skin conditions or even whether your wearing anything topical like a cream.
Once the electricity has broken down the skin which LV can do quickly then this quickly drops your resistance as low as 300-500 ohms if the entry exit points remain the same.
Like mentioned before, mostly when you receive a shock you are parallel to the supply and earth, N or other phase and thus you will be getting the full supply through your body, currents as low as 1mA can set your heart in to fibrillation if your unlucky enough to have the current pass through it and as the heart is a main junction of your blood vessels then its a risk many have lost their lives to, like most sparks Ive have many a shock over the years and the majority I can honestly say were not through my own stupidity but even though we can carry the career scars of numerous shocks I would never get complacent to its potential (no pun intended) to kill you, it only takes it to find that route of least resistance through your heart and even a mild short lived shock can be you end of days.


Its easy to assume 30mA is a safe value due to RCD's been labled for personel protection but they are this rating as its a balance between protection and nuisance tripping but even a fully functional RCD cannot stop electricity killing you as it is only there is reduce the chance of serious/fatal injury.

I must also add that 230v is a mean of the AC waveform and your body will be subject to the peak voltages which are much higher so this will further speed up the breakdown of skin resistance.

pls help...a friend of mine was opening a door of an industrial hot cupboard 13amp,whist holding another oven type door, he got an electric shock and broke his arm, the hot cupboard was earlier moved and got wet
why did this happen if the equipment is cert safe etc

 

[westward10]

Has this happened recently because that is a reportable occurance.

 

[breakerman]

Has this happened recently because that is a reportable occurance.

it hasn't happened before... but the owner of the equip said he has a certificate , so if there was a fault why didnt it come up in a check

 

[westward10]

it hasn't happened before... but the owner of the equip said he has a certificate , so if there was a fault why didnt it come up in a check

So has your friend recently received a shock and as a result broke his arm.

 

[telectrix]

So has your friend recently received a shock and as a result broke his arm.

it was a punishment for the arm sticking his fingers onto live parts.

 

[Pete999]

it hasn't happened before... but the owner of the equip said he has a certificate , so if there was a fault why didnt it come up in a check

Can I ask what sort of certificate was issued? is this hot cupboard portable. static and should it be subject to an ISITEE Regime?

 

[breakerman]

Has this happened recently because that is a reportable occurance.

if i could also ask you, if its a reportable occurrence,what would happen if its goes on unreported...

 

[Pete999]

if i could also ask you, if its a reportable occurrence,what would happen if its goes on unreported...

Someone in a responsible position would get sent to the naughty step, seriously not acting on a re portable/dangerous occurrence would involve investigation by the HSE and possible criminal proceedings could ensue depending on the findings.

 

[westward10]

if i could also ask you, if its a reportable occurrence,what would happen if its goes on unreported...

It is a legal requirement of the Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurances Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) to report such an injury.

 

[Taylortwocities]

the hot cupboard was earlier moved and got wet

My guess is that the equipment was safe until it was moved. This may have damaged the supply cable, or pulled out a conductor so that the case became live. Only speculation, but this must be reported as it was in a place of work, and the whole properly tested before it is put back in service.
Your mate probably has a case for compensation.
EAWR!

 

[breakerman]

So has your friend recently received a shock and as a result broke his arm.

yea

 

[breakerman]

Can I ask what sort of certificate was issued? is this hot cupboard portable. static and should it be subject to an ISITEE Regime?

im not sure on what cert it has...but yes its portable, its one of these auto chef things that's used in functions

 

[westward10]

Well this is definitely a reportable occurrence and the HSE must be notified. At the worst a representative from the HSE will attend to assess whether there is sufficient evidence to enable a court to prosecute, most likely they will issue improvement notices but who knows.