Disclaimer

Content in the safety section provided on this website is for general informational purposes only. You can choose whether to use it or not. For more see Safety Section Disclaimer in Help FAQs.

Guidance

A person may have suffered electrocution if you find them unconscious in the vicinity of an electrical source.

Do not touch the person unless you are sure they are no longer in contact with the electrical source.

Causes of electric shock include:

– Faulty appliances

– Damaged or frayed cords or extension leads

– Electrical appliances coming in to contact with water

Symptoms

Symptoms of an electric shock include:

– Unconsciousness

– Difficulties in breathing or no breathing at all

– A weak, erratic pulse or no pulse at all

– Burns, particularly entrance and exit burns (where the electricity entered and left the body)

– Sudden onset of cardiac arrest

Assess the risk

Always consider your personal safety first.

Conduct an assessment viewing or walking around the person to identify the source of the possible electrocution.

Do not touch anything or step in any fluids.

Response

Always consider your personal safety first.

Contact emergency services. The call taker should guide you through next steps.

Do not approach the person or attempt to render first aid, until the person is no longer in contact with the electricity source, that caused the shock or electrocution.

If obvious and safe to do so, turn off or disconnect the power source. Consider turning off power at the power board.

If safe to do so, shutoff any water source involved in the incident to prevent further scene risk.

Scene secured

Check the person’s response and breathing.

If the persons heart has stopped, commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use a defibrillator if required and available.

For more see the First Aid section.

If you are unsure of resuscitation techniques, the emergency services call-taker will give you easy-to-follow instructions over the telephone, so you can increase the person’s chances of survival until the ambulance arrives.

If the persons breathing is steady and they are responsive, attend to their injuries. Cool the burns with cool running water for 20 minutes and cover with dressings, if available, that won’t stick to the wound. Simple cling wrap found in most kitchens is very suitable to cover burns as long as it is not applied tightly.

Never put ointments or oils onto burns. If the person has fallen from a height, try not to move them unnecessarily in case they have spinal injuries. Only move them if there is a chance of further danger from the environment.