California workers often put themselves at personal risk on the job. For example, there are many fields with high risk of electric shock and injury. You do not need to work with high voltage electricity to risk these injuries.
Today, we will look more into electrical injury. We will see how common it is. We will look at types of electrical injuries. We will also take a look at how an electrical injury can change your life.
What causes electrical injuries?
The National Center for Biotechnology Information takes a close look at electrical injuries. They state that electrical injuries are a mechanical trauma. In fact, they are among the most common types of mechanical trauma. The causes range from natural to man-made. Some involve lightning. Others involve low or high voltage sources of electricity. In a vast majority of cases, electrical injuries come from accidents. People also associate these injuries with high mortality rates.
Electrical injuries carry some unique risks. For example, tissue damage may occur after the initial injury. An electric shock may cause organs to lose functionality after the incident.
The categories of electrical injuries
These injuries break down into four categories. These are flash, flame, lightning and true. Flash injuries often result in superficial burns. They are the least serious. Flame injuries are also caused by an arc flash. But they result in the clothing catching on fire. Electricity may travel below the skin. Lightning injuries involve quick but high voltage shocks that jolt through the body. True injuries are a result of a person becoming part of an electric circuit.
Even if you survive more severe shock injuries, you may end up facing a lifetime of disabilities. Electrical injury can cause permanent damage to vital organs. You may need physical therapy, medication and other support for the rest of your life. This may prevent you from working as you did before. In turn, this becomes a big hurdle for workers who want to return to work.
