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Anonymous Poster

Is IEE's Data on Effects of Electric Shock Accurate?

11/21/2008 11:00 AM

I was conducting a technical site survey on an existing BTS site and was electrocuted when i accidentally came in contact with a the terminal of a 100KVA transformer fed by an 11KV line.

I was partially unconscious for a while but regained full consciousness with sum minor burns in less than 4hours.

When I looked-up IEE 16th edition this was what it had for me;

1mA- 2mA Barely perceptible, no harmful effect

5mA -10mA Throw off, painful sensation

10mA -15mA Muscular contraction, can't let go!

20mA - 30mA Impaired breathing

50mA and above Ventricular fibrillation and death

the current through me if my calculation is right comes to about 9A, what happened?

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#1

Re: Is IEE's data on effects of electric shock accurate?

11/21/2008 11:39 AM

You are dead, this is all a waking dream.

Seriously though, 9A? How did you calculate that? Did someone have an ammeter on it when that happened?

Most likely your calculations are failing to take your resistance into account. Unless you are cut open and bleeding at both contact points (the electricity source and the ground), then the current path is mainly over your skin, and mainly by virtue of the moisture on and in your skin. We don't make very good conductors at first, but after we char a bit from the heat, our carbon does a better job. Since you didn't apparently char all over, I seriously doubt you had 9A flowing through you. But the few ma that did make it through you is likely to have done some harm, hopefully you have seen a doctor!

A visit to your chosen religous practitioner to give thanks would be in order as well.

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#2

Re: Is IEE's Data on Effects of Electric Shock Accurate?

11/21/2008 5:13 PM

The effects of current will depend on where the current flows. That's why some people say to work with one hand when working around high voltage. It prevents current from flowing across your chest.

When I've measured my resistance with an ohm meter, it's in the 100s of kohms, varying depending on how good of contact I make. 11k/200k =55mA. If this kind of current went across your chest, you are very lucky. If not, I don't think it should affect your heart, but I would never want to experiment.

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Anonymous Poster
#3
In reply to #2

Re: Is IEE's Data on Effects of Electric Shock Accurate?

11/24/2008 11:00 AM

Actually I was in the field for a while, I was rotated about a point for about a full minute (everything was blue, with a buzzing sound in the air). Can that explain where the current might have passed through?

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