Determining the condition of the victim in case of electric shock. Providing first aid in case of electric shock, actions in case of electric shock. Carrying out artificial respiration

Hello, dear readers! Until recently, electric shock was very rare. Now, with the advent of a large number of different electrical machines and devices in everyday life, electrical injuries are becoming more and more common. And in production, people suffer from it as a result of non-compliance with safety regulations. The topic, you see, is topical, since the insidiousness of such injuries lies in the serious consequences. And depending on how first aid was provided, sometimes a human life is at stake.

The first electric shock was recorded in 1879 in France in Lyon, where a carpenter died from an alternating current generator. Since then, the number of victims of electric current has been constantly growing. According to statistics, up to 5% of all patients suffer from electric shock in burn departments of hospitals. Men of working age are more often affected by electric shock. And the mortality rate in men is 4 times higher than in women.

Electrical trauma means traumatic damage to the integrity, functions of tissues and organs that appears under the influence of industrial, household or natural electric current.

Exposure to current occurs when there is direct contact with an electrical circuit, when there is a current source with a force of more than 1 mA and a voltage source that can cause current to flow through the energized part of the body. You can get exposed to current without even touching electrical wires; it is enough to be near high-voltage installations where there is a current leak through an interrupted circuit. Therefore, it is extremely dangerous to be and perform any actions near power lines.

The strength and extent of damage depends on the following factors:

current strength - the greater the value, the more significant the consequences for a person;
duration of exposure - the longer the body is exposed to current, the more serious the health consequences;
The body's resistance is determined by the characteristics of the skin and its general condition. Thus, dry and thick skin has greater resistance and, conversely, thin and moist skin is an excellent conductor of electricity in the body, which means the consequences of exposure will be more serious.

What type of current: alternating or direct, had a damaging effect does not have a significant role. However, a current of 220 V, 40-60 Hz, which we use in everyday life, is considered more dangerous than constant current, since tissue resistance to it is weaker.

What causes electric shock

The causes of electric shock are commonplace and everyone knows them. However, carelessness in everyday life, carelessness and non-compliance with safety rules at work sometimes leads to quite disastrous and tragic consequences.

Here we can add the negligence of energy services, leaving high-voltage booths open, throwing bare wires and cables after repairs, which is now quite common.

And everything would be fine, but how many cases do there happen when small children, out of curiosity and ignorance, stick their fingers into an electrical outlet?! And how many accidents have been reported in the media when teenagers, due to their ignorance (and lack of knowledge of the laws of physics too), while on train cars, came into contact with overhead wires, or urinated from crossing bridges, and instantly burned?

Of course, responsibility for all these accidents with children lies with their parents: they didn’t pay attention, didn’t tell, didn’t control...

Manifestations of electric shock

In medical practice, there is a certain classification of electric shock. There are 4 degrees:

1st degree. At the moment of short-term contact with a low voltage current, the victim experiences fear. At the same time, he experiences short-term clonic convulsions. Consciousness is not lost, but fainting, severe fatigue and a feeling of weakness are possible. These symptoms quickly pass, no damage to the skin or internal organs occurs, and the victim does not require assistance.

2nd degree. Contact with electric current leads to loss of consciousness, clonic convulsions are present. The functioning of the respiratory and cardiac systems is not impaired, they function normally. Immediately after the injury, the victim is in a state of shock, sometimes not understanding what happened to him.

3rd degree. There is loss of consciousness and muscle cramps. Certain disturbances and disruptions in the functioning of the respiratory and cardiac systems occur: respiratory arrest and fibrillation of the heart muscles are possible. At this degree, damage to internal organs is still reversible. This moment is critical: the victim requires urgent resuscitation.

4th degree. Injuries with high current intensity (more than 100 mA or more) lead to clinical death. Urgent resuscitation measures are required.

It is important to note that exposure to even a small current on the body can cause fibrillation of the muscles of the ventricles and atria, which causes cardiac arrest. When exposed to high frequency currents, death occurs not only from fibrillation, but also from any complications.

In general, when exposed to electric current in the body, internal bioelectric processes and the physico-chemical composition of the blood are disrupted; there may be burns, tissue ruptures, dislocations, and bone fractures. In those who have died after electric shock, hemorrhages are observed on internal organs, mucous membranes and skin. In survivors, after some time, necrosis of the affected tissues is observed.

When exposed to electric current up to 380 V, marks remain on the person’s body. These are dark spots with a diameter of 1 to 6 cm, of a bluish tint with a small ridge along the periphery. This is where current enters and exits. When current passes through the body, an electrical loop is formed. The most dangerous is the upper one, which passes through the chest and heart, causing it to stop. Other loops are less dangerous, but also cause various damage to the body.

First aid

The most important thing is not to panic! But there is no need to waste time.

First of all, it is necessary to free the victim from further exposure to current. To do this, you need to turn off the power supply, unplug the cord from the outlet, throw aside the exposed wire, etc. Know that until the voltage is removed, you are also in danger. But sometimes there is simply no time to look for a switch.

Therefore, exposed wire should be removed using insulating material. This could be a dry wooden stick, a rolled-up newspaper, rubber or woolen gloves.

If nothing of the kind turns out to be the case, then the victim must be pulled away from the power source. Don't forget about the danger for you too. You need to pull him away by dry clothes, without touching the exposed areas of the victim’s body and metal objects on clothes (buttons, zippers).

In the event that the wire is pinched in the victim’s hand due to convulsions, the wire should be cut with a knife or scissors with insulated handles and do this at different levels so as not to cause a short circuit.

Sometimes a bare wire is on damp ground and current flows. To free a person, you need to approach him in rubber shoes. And another very important point. You need to walk towards the victim in small steps, without lifting your feet from the ground and monitor the position of your feet when the toe of the other foot is next to the heel of one foot. If you do not follow this rule, then the person providing assistance may receive an electric shock.

After you have removed the current source, make sure there is a pulse in the carotid artery and breathing. If they are missing, do a precordial stroke, which is done like this.

Two sharp blows with a fist from a height of 20-30 cm are applied to the sternum at the border of the middle and lower third, followed by immediate monitoring of the pulse in the carotid artery. If there is no positive result from two strokes, you should immediately proceed to closed massage and artificial ventilation of the lungs according to the generally accepted method.

I have written in detail about how to properly perform closed cardiac massage and artificial respiration; I will not repeat myself. Resuscitation measures are carried out until a constant pulse appears in the carotid artery and breathing is restored, or until cadaveric spots appear.

At the same time as providing assistance, shout for them to call an ambulance and come to your aid, since it is very difficult to do resuscitation alone (I know - eyewitnesses of a similar situation told me).

If the victim regains consciousness, before the ambulance arrives, calm him down, give valerian tinctures or hot tea. Apply dry, clean bandages to the burn areas.

Children are often affected by electric shock. The peculiarity of electrical injuries in children is that prolonged convulsions can lead to cerebral edema.

Rules of conduct and prevention of electrical injuries

Monitor the condition of electrical wires in your home. All electrical wires must be in an insulating winding.
If there are exposed wires, call an electrician to repair or replace them.
Ground all electrical appliances.
Do not use faulty household appliances.
All sockets in the room must have plugs. This is especially important when there are small children in the house.
Do not allow children under 8 years of age to turn on electrical appliances themselves.

I won’t tell you about compliance with safety regulations at work, since at any enterprise or organization introductory and periodic briefings are carried out by a safety engineer.

Dear readers! I hope that this information was useful to you, because each of us can experience an electrical injury. But by following all preventive measures, I hope that this will not happen to you. If you liked the article, share it on social media. networks. And don’t forget to subscribe to new articles, there will be many more interesting things.

Be healthy! Taisiya Filippova was with you.

The main source of energy in the modern world is electric current. The main voltage in the electrical network of residential premises is 220 V. This is a sufficiently high voltage at which, when the circuit is closed with the human body, a sufficiently strong current can pass through it. Significant electrification has led to fairly frequent electrical damage to the human body.

On average, there is one death per 100,000 cases of electrical injury, which is associated with very high voltage and current, as well as incorrect or untimely provision of emergency care to the victim.

Features of electrical injury

Electric current is the movement of electrons through a conductor (metals are the best conductors for electric current). The human body consists of 80% water with compounds dissolved in it, so it is a fairly good conductor. There are several factors and features that influence the severity of electrical injury (even death), these include:

At a higher voltage, a current of greater strength flows through the human body, which leads to severe damage to cells and tissues along its path.
Lower skin resistance in the area of contact with the electrical wire (wet skin or clothing) leads to more severe electrical injury.
The path of electrical current propagation through the heart (touching both hands to the wires) or the brain (touching the wire to the head or another part of the body) is very dangerous.
The general condition of the human body at the time of injury.
The duration of exposure to electric current - the longer, the more pronounced the damage to cells and tissues of the body will be.

The general condition of the body has a significant impact on the severity of electrical injury. So, if you are intoxicated at the time of injury, the risk of death after an electric shock significantly increases.

Mechanism of development of electrical injury

There are several damaging effects of electric current on the human body:

A significant disturbance in the frequency and rhythm of heart contractions up to the development of fibrillation (chaotic contraction of myocardial muscle fibers without effective blood flow) and cardiac arrest (asystole).
Violation of the functional activity of the structures of the central nervous system - damage to the vasomotor and respiratory centers with vascular collapse and respiratory arrest, which can lead to death. The impact on the structures of the central and peripheral systems is always accompanied by involuntary contractions of striated skeletal muscles.
A skin burn in the area of contact with an electric current source can have a different area and depth of tissue damage, depending on the voltage and current strength. Also, when injured by an electric arc (an arc forms between a very high voltage source and the human body due to ionization of the air), a severe burn can develop.

These lesions vary in intensity. When exposed to low voltage, they are insignificant and disappear without a trace.

Symptoms

Manifestations after exposure to electric current depend on its strength and voltage. In case of severe damage, when exposed to electricity, an involuntary contraction of the body muscles occurs, which leads to the development of characteristic convulsions. Then a disturbance of consciousness (confusion, lack of it) and breathing (up to a complete stop) may develop. A pronounced decrease in the level of systemic blood pressure is also determined; the pulse in the main arteries (in particular, determined in the radial artery by pressing it against the bone in the wrist area) may not be detected. In the area where the skin touches the source of electric current, a burn usually develops in the form of a characteristic red spot (hyperemia), followed by the formation of blisters (bullas) filled with liquid. At high voltage, the burn can be significant with charring of the skin.

There are known cases of electric shock with a voltage of several tens of thousands of volts, in which the severity of the burn was so great that almost the entire surface of the skin was charred. In such cases, even timely and correct provision of emergency medical care does not guarantee a favorable prognosis.

Urgent Care

The algorithm for providing emergency first aid includes a number of activities:

The very first action should be to de-energize the electrical circuit, then after assessing the general condition
victim and providing (if necessary) resuscitation measures, it is imperative to call an ambulance.

In some cases, there is a period of “imaginary well-being” with improvement in the victim’s condition, but over a short period of time, late life-threatening complications in the form of pulmonary and cerebral edema may develop, so the person should be under medical supervision.

Thanks to the correct implementation of emergency care measures, the likelihood of death can be reduced to a minimum.

Electrical injury is an electric shock that results in painful disorders of the human body or death. There are injuries caused by technical current and the action of atmospheric electricity - lightning. The former are of great practical importance, since electric current is widely used in factories, mines, railways, agriculture, everyday life, etc.
Electric shock most often occurs during the installation and repair of electrical and radiotelephone networks, work with radio equipment, as well as during improper use of electrical appliances and equipment (electric motors, transformers, rectifiers, etc.). The main causes of accidents are ignorance and non-compliance with safety rules, technical malfunctions of electrical equipment, etc.).
The current, passing through the body, causes disruption of the central nervous system, circulatory, respiratory organs, etc. The degree of these disturbances and the severity of the damage depend on various factors: voltage and strength of the current, the duration of its effect on the body, the amount of resistance of the body tissues to it, physical and mental state of a person. A painful condition, intoxication, general weakness, young or old age of the victim reduce resistance to the action of electric current.
Passing through the body, the current acts in two ways: firstly, when it encounters tissue resistance, it turns into heat, which is greater the greater the resistance. The resistance of the skin is greatest, as a result of which burns occur (from minor local changes to severe burns up to charring of individual areas of the body); secondly, the current leads the muscles, in particular the respiratory and cardiac muscles, into a state of prolonged contraction, which can cause breathing to stop and the heart to stop beating. Passing through the brain and spinal cord, the current causes disruption of their activity.
Often the victim dies at the scene of injury.
Symptoms of electric shock: convulsive muscle contraction, spasm of the glottis, dizziness, nausea, pallor, cyanosis of the lips, cold sticky sweat, loss of consciousness, impaired or absent breathing, drop in cardiac activity. Imaginary death (respiratory and cardiac arrest) may quickly occur, but it cannot be considered as true death. The general effect of electric current on the body can affect either immediately, or after a few hours, even after a few days. Therefore, in all cases, after first aid is provided, the victim must be sent to a medical facility.

First and emergency aid for electric shock

The victim must be immediately released from the current. The best thing is to turn it off quickly. However, in large industrial enterprises this is not always possible. Then it is necessary to cut or chop the wire or cable with an ax with a dry wooden handle, or drag the victim away from the power source.
In this case, it is necessary to observe personal precautions: use rubber gloves, boots, galoshes, rubber mats, dry wood mats, dry wooden sticks, etc. When dragging a victim away from a cable, wires, etc. you should grab his clothes (if they are dry!), and not his body, which at this time is a conductor of electricity.
Measures to assist a victim of electric current are determined by the nature of the dysfunction of the body: if the effect of the current did not cause loss of consciousness, it is necessary, after being released from the current, to place the victim on a stretcher, cover him warmly, give 20-25 drops of valerian tincture, warm tea or coffee and immediately transport to a medical institution.
If a person struck by an electric current has lost consciousness, but breathing and pulse are preserved, it is necessary, after being freed from the action of the current, at the site of the injury to remove restrictive clothing (unfasten the collar, belt, etc.), ensure an influx of fresh air, and choose a place convenient for providing first aid. with a hard surface - lay down boards, plywood, etc., first placing a blanket under your back. It is important to protect the victim from cooling (heating pads). It is necessary to examine the oral cavity; if your teeth are clenched, you should not resort to physical force - open his mouth with a mouth opener, but first let him sniff ammonia on a cotton swab several times in a row, rub his temples with it, spray his face and chest with water from the palm of his hand. At the same time, 0.5 ml of a 1% solution of lobeline or cititon, 1 ml of a 10% solution of caffeine, and 1 ml of cordiamine should be administered subcutaneously. When opening the oral cavity, it is necessary to remove mucus and foreign objects from it, dentures if any, stretch out the tongue and turn the head to the side so that it does not sink. The victim is then given oxygen to breathe. If the affected person has regained consciousness, he needs to be ensured complete rest, placed on a stretcher and then proceed as indicated above in the first case.
But it also happens that the patient’s condition worsens - heart failure, frequent intermittent breathing, pale skin, cyanosis of visible mucous membranes appear, and then a terminal condition and clinical death. In such cases, if one person provides assistance, he should immediately begin artificial respiration “from mouth to mouth” and at the same time perform indirect cardiac massage. This is done as follows: first, the provider makes 10 exhalations in a row into the victim’s lungs, then quickly moves to his left side, kneels on one or both knees and applies push-like pressure in the center of the sternum on its lower third. The cardiac massage is interrupted every 15 seconds to allow one deep breath.
If there is an assistant, then two people perform first aid. One performs artificial respiration, the other performs indirect cardiac massage. The effectiveness of these measures depends on their correct combination, namely: during inhalation, pressure on the victim’s sternum cannot be applied. During exhalation, the sternum should be pressed rhythmically 3-4 times, pausing during the next inhalation, etc. Thus, in one minute 48 pressings and 12 blowings are performed. Indirect cardiac massage partially provides ventilation to the lungs. To perform a cardiac massage, pressure must be applied not with the entire palm, but with the volar (dorsal) surface of the wrist joint. The pressure on the sternum is increased by the other palm, placed crosswise on the dorsal (palmar) surface of the first hand. The person providing assistance during cardiac massage should be in a half-bent position so that the pressing force is provided by the weight of the body. The pressure should be such that the sternum moves towards the spine by at least 3-5 cm. In this case, mechanical compression of the heart occurs, as a result of which blood is pushed out of it. When the chest expands, blood from the veins enters the heart.
Cardiac massage in persons in a state of clinical death must be combined with the use of not only artificial respiration, but also intra-arterial blood transfusion or polyglucin (250-500 ml), Syncol and other means.
It should be noted that in case of electric shock, cardiac fibrillation can develop (frequent ineffective contractions of the heart muscle that do not ensure the movement of blood through the blood vessels), resulting in cardiac arrest. In this case, irritation of the heart muscle is used using a special device - a defibrillator.
Simultaneously with cardiac massage and artificial respiration, the victim is injected intravenously with the necessary medicinal substances, including 0.5 ml of norepinephrine (slowly!), 1 ml of a 10% caffeine solution, 1 ml of cordiamine, 1 ml of a 1% mesatone solution or 0.3 ml 0 .5% ephedrine solution, 5 ml of 10% calcium chloride solution, 30-40 ml of 40% glucose solution.
Due to impaired blood circulation in the victim and weakened absorption from the subcutaneous layer, medicinal substances must be administered intravenously and as slowly as possible. At the same time, artificial respiration and other first aid measures continue to be carried out.
Skin irritation should also be carried out - rubbing the body and limbs with a towel moistened with wine alcohol or a 6% vinegar solution.
In those affected by electric current, resuscitation measures should be carried out very carefully and for a long time until spontaneous breathing is restored or unconditional signs of death appear - cadaveric spots and rigor.
Areas of the body burned by electric current are treated in a hospital as thermal burns. Under no circumstances should those injured by electric shock or lightning be buried in the ground.

Assistance to the victim should not replace the assistance of medical personnel and should be provided until the doctor arrives.

If the victim comes into contact with live parts, it is necessary to quickly free him from the action of electric current. Touching a live person is life-threatening. Therefore, you need to quickly turn off the part of the installation that the victim touches. To free the victim from the wire, you should use dry clothing, a board or some other object that does not conduct electric current, or grab his clothes (if they are dry), while avoiding touching metal objects and open parts of the body.

Next you need:
- place the victim on his back on a hard surface;
- check if the victim is breathing (detect by the rise of the chest, fogging of the mirror, etc.);
- check for a pulse on the radial side at the wrist or on the carotid artery on the anterolateral surface of the neck;
- find out the condition of the pupil; a wide pupil indicates a sharp deterioration in the blood supply to the brain;
- calling a doctor by phone 03 is mandatory in all cases.

If the victim is conscious after fainting, he should be placed in a comfortable position, covered with clothing, and ensure complete rest, continuously monitoring his breathing and pulse.

If the victim is unconscious, but with steady breathing and a pulse, he should be laid flat and comfortably, unfasten his clothes, create an influx of fresh air, bring a cotton swab with ammonia to his nose, spray his face with water and ensure complete rest. If the victim is breathing poorly (very rarely and convulsively), he should undergo artificial respiration and cardiac massage.

If there are no signs of life, the victim cannot be considered dead, because death is apparent. Artificial respiration should be performed continuously until the doctor arrives. First aid should be provided immediately and, if possible, at the scene of the incident. No more than 3-5 minutes should pass from the moment the heart stops.

The method of artificial respiration is that the person providing assistance exhales from his lungs into the lungs of the victim directly into the mouth. The victim is laid on his back, his mouth is opened, foreign objects are removed from the mouth, the victim’s head is tilted back, placing one hand under the back of the head, and with the other hand press on the victim’s forehead so that the chin is in line with the neck. Kneeling down, you need to forcefully breathe air into the victim’s mouth through gauze or a handkerchief, covering his nose. Inhalation lasts 5-6 seconds, or 10-12 times per minute. The victim's chest should expand, and after the mouth and nose are freed, it should fall on its own. When spontaneous breathing resumes, artificial respiration should be continued for some time until the victim is fully conscious. Excessive compression of the chest should be avoided due to the possibility of rib fractures. At the same time, you need to perform external cardiac massage in the absence of a pulse.

External (indirect) cardiac massage is performed by rhythmically compressing the heart through the anterior wall of the chest while pressing on the lower part of the sternum. Repeating pressure at a frequency of 60-70 times per minute. The person providing assistance, having identified the lower third of the sternum, should place the upper edge of the palm on it, place the second hand on top and press on the victim’s chest, slightly helping by tilting his body. The pressure should be applied with a quick push like this. To move the lower part of the sternum towards the spine by 3-4 cm, and in obese people - by 5-6 cm.

Every 5-6 pressures - one blow. If one person is assisting, you should alternate after 2 deep insufflations - 10-12 pressures for cardiac massage.

When artificial respiration and cardiac massage are performed correctly, the victim will show the following signs of recovery:
- improvement of complexion
- the appearance of spontaneous breathing more and more uniform
- constriction of the pupils
- appearance of independent pulse.

When working with electricity, it is important to follow all safety rules to eliminate or minimize the likelihood of electric shock.

First aid in case of electric shock must be provided immediately!

In general, it is believed that only a small number of accidental effects of voltage on a person are accompanied by the flow of large currents that can lead to electrical injury. A fatal outcome is recorded even less often (one in 140 - 150 thousand), but this is not at all a reason to ignore safety rules or refuse to provide first aid.

First aid for electric shock

The first thing to do in such a situation is to free the person from the current. This should be done carefully but quickly. If the victim is at a height, it is important to prevent him from falling.

Relief from the current is carried out by turning off the installation, although one should take into account the fact that the light will go out everywhere, so if an accident occurs indoors, it is important to have a flashlight or candle ready.

Now it is necessary to drag the victim away, but you cannot touch his unprotected parts of the body, shoes, or damp clothes. Grab hold of his dry items, and if there are tools such as electric gloves, galoshes, mat, stand, etc., use them.

If the victim's hands cover the conductor, cut it with some sharp object with insulated handles (for example, dry wood, plastic).

Basic rules in short:

Put on dry gloves (rubber, wool, leather, etc.) and rubber boots;
Turn off the power source;
When approaching the victim on the ground, take small steps;
Remove the wire from it with a dry, non-conductive object, for example a stick or plastic;
Drag him by his clothes at least 10 meters from the point where the wire touches the ground or from live equipment.

After the victim has been freed, assistance is provided in accordance with his condition.

If the victim is conscious:

it is important for him to ensure peace;
if serious injuries are visible (bruises, fractures, dislocations, burns, etc.), it is necessary to provide first aid before the doctor arrives - to fix the injured limb, for example.
It is necessary to call a doctor, even if consciousness has not been lost, since a specialist must conduct an examination and eliminate the possibility of complications due to injuries received.

If a person has lost consciousness, but is breathing, he should be placed on a soft surface - a blanket, clothes. Then it is important to immediately call an ambulance, and before that try to resuscitate the victim:

unfasten the collar, belt, remove clothes that are restrictive to the body;
cleanse the oral cavity of blood and mucus, thereby ensuring an influx of fresh air;
you can give him ammonia to smell;
you can spray it with water, rub it and try to warm the body.

If signs of life are completely absent (clinical death - no breathing or pulse, pupils are dilated) or if breathing is intermittent, you should:

free him from clothing that restricts breathing as soon as possible;
clean your mouth
do ;
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A doctor must be called immediately!