How to Prevent Electrical Accidents:

Electricity, one of the most versatile and widely used power sources, is used extensively on almost every farm. Farmers are so familiar with electricity that they may take electrical safety for granted. When this happens, accidents often follow. The National Safety Council reports more than 800 electrical fatalities annually. On average, more than 40 of these deaths are directly related to farming operations.

How much electricity is fatal?

People can feel electrical currents at levels as low as approximately 1 milliamp (mA), which produces a slight tingling sensation. Increasing current levels above the 5 mA "let go" threshold can cause loss of muscular control, irregular heart rhythm and, finally, cardiac arrest. Five mA is only a small fraction of the current needed to power a 60-watt bulb, which draws about 1/2 amp, or 500 mA.

Electrical shock occurs when a person touches an electrically charged object at the same time they are touching another surface capable of conducting electricity, such as the ground. A current then passes between the points of contact. The shock effects depend on the amperage, duration of contact and resistance of the pathway through the body. For example, damp skin is less resistant to current flow and permits greater shock effects. For this reason, you should work in a dry environment while handling electrical equipment.

The seriousness of a shock depends on the path the current takes through the body. For example, a small current passing through the heart is much more critical than a current passing between two fingers of the same hand. Testing for live current with one hand instead of two reduces the risk of a dangerous shock by making current less likely to flow through the heart.