The following is a reprint of the text that appeared in the Spring 1997 issue. A heavy electrical shock can stun your muscles and nerves, and stop your heart and breathing. A milder shock can cause you to fall, resulting in bruises or broken bones. Knowing how shocks happen can help you protect yourself on the job.
Electricity follows the easiest path to the ground.
It will flow through any conductive material, such as water, metal, certain chemical solutions or the human body. If you come in contact with electricity while you are in contact with the ground, you become part of an electrical circuit and current passes through your body, causing a shock. The effects of an electrical shock depend on the type of circuit, its voltage, the pathway through the body and the duration of contact. Depending on these factors, an electrical shock may cause respiratory or muscular paralysis. Even a small shock can kill you if it passes through your heart and lungs.