What are the causes and symptoms of electric shock injuries?
The severity of injury depends on the current’s pressure (voltage), the amount of current (amperage), the type of current (direct vs. alternating), the body’s resistance to the current, the current’s path through the body, and how long the body remains in contact with the current. The interplay of these factors can produce effects ranging from barely noticeable tingling to instant death; every part of the body is vulnerable. Although the severity of injury is determined primarily by the voltage, low voltage can be just as dangerous as high voltage under the right circumstances. People have been killed by shocks of just 50 volts. How electric shocks affect the skin is determined by the skin’s resistance, which in turn is dependent upon the wetness, thickness, and cleanliness of the skin. Thin or wet skin is much less resistant than thick or dry skin. When skin resistance is low, the current may cause little or no skin damage but severely burn internal organs and tissues. Conversely, hig
