Fume hoods may cease to operate, allowing vapors to be released into the laboratory. Flammable or toxic vapors may be released as a chemical warms when a refrigerator or freezer fails. Loss of electrical power can create hazardous situations. In addition to the electrical shock hazards, sparks from electrical equipment can serve as an ignition source for flammableor explosivevapors or combustible materials. Slight shock felt not painful but disturbingĮxtreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractionĬardiac arrest, severe burns and probable deathĪdopted from Princeton University Environmental Health and Safety Handbook Table 10.1 Body Reactions Under Effect of Electrical Current While reading this chart, keep in mind that most electrical circuits can provide, under normal conditions, up to 20,000 milliamperes of current flow. Table 10.1 shows the general relationship between the degree of injury and amount of current for a 60-cycle hand-to-foot path of one second's duration of shock. The effect of the shock may range from a slight tingle to severe burns to cardiac arrest. Water is a great conductor of electricity, allowing current to flow more easily in wet conditions and through wet skin. The severity and effects of an electrical shock depend on a number of factors, such as the pathway through the body, the amount of current, the length of time of the exposure, and whether the skin is wet or dry. Electrical shock occurs when the body becomes part of the electric circuit, either when an individual comes in contact with both wires of an electrical circuit, one wire of an energized circuit and the ground, or a metallic part that has become energized by contact with an electrical conductor.
The major hazards associated with electricity are electrical shock and fire. Common Electrical Hazards and Preventable Steps
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