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| Basic facts about electrical shock |
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| Electricity is extremely dangerous to contact. Learning how electrical shock happens will help you work more safely around power lines, wiring and electrical equipment on your job site. |
Order our FREE worker safety
kit on the PPL Electric Utilities
e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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| How electrical shock happens |
Electrical current travels along circuits of wires. A circuit is a closed loop that allows electricity to flow. Electrical shock occurs when a person’s body contacts an electrical circuit and provides a path for electricity to leave the circuit and travel to the ground. On the job site, this can happen when either: |
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You contact one wire of an energized circuit and the ground at the same time.
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You touch equipment that’s in contact with an energized wire while you’re also in contact with the ground.
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| What happens when you get shocked? |
Lower voltages (and lower amperages) can cause muscle spasms that inhibit your ability to “let go” of the energized object you’re touching. The degree of injury increases with every second your body is conducting electricity. |
Higher voltages (and higher amperages) can throw you clear of the circuit; however, injury or death may result from the electrical shock or fall. |
| Keep your distance |
Distance is your best defense against electrical shock. Always keep yourself, your tools and your equipment at least 10 feet away from overhead distribution lines. Transmission lines require a greater clearance distance. For specific clearance requirements, consult OSHA regulations at osha.gov. |
| Would you like to know more? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos and educational tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on PPL Electric Utilities' e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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