Beware Low Amp Current

Beware Low Amp Current – It’s More Dangerous Than You Think.

Beware Low Amp Current – Installers need to remember that just 0.1 to 0.2 amps of current can kill – and it’s even more dangerous when you’re working on a ladder.

Just 1/10 of an ampere (100 milliamperes) of electricity passing through the body for 2 seconds is enough to cause death. The amount of internal current a person can withstand and still be able to control the muscles of the arm and hand can be less than.

Finding a path through tissues with low resistance, including brain, heart, internal organs, blood vessels and central nervous system, with currents low as 20 milliamps, breathing becomes laboured and ceases before 75 milliamps. At 100 milliamps, ventricular fibrillation of the heart causes death.

Given the risks, before you start work, try to establish whether the site has a circuit breaker that will cut power in the event you accidentally earth a voltage. Sometimes, especially in older buildings, you’ll be unable to establish the nature of the electrical plant – in some cases nobody may know the exact layout of the plant. Beware.

Only work on devices with 3-pronged electrical plugs (these include earth) and be sure to use a ground power strip. Test voltage and amperage of circuits as you work and take special care to never measure volts using the current setting on a metre.

Beware Low Amp Current – It’s More Dangerous

Put a rubber mat under your feet to insulate yourself from making an earth ground – a simple rubber bathmat will be sufficient if you can’t find a professional item.

Get all jewellery off – watches and rings – these protruding metal objects will conduct electricity into your body if they contact live components. Even a capacitor can cause serious injury if it’s large enough to hold sufficient voltage.

When working in a high voltage environment try to use one hand only – it will keep the current from passing through your body from hand to hand via the heart. A ground strap installed between high voltage devices will save your life if you accidentally contact both chassis.

The risk of mismanaged low amp current is bad enough when you’re at ground level, but if you’re on a ladder be doubly careful. The shock will send you off the ladder and put you at risk of broken bones and internal injuries.

You can learn more about electrical safety here or read more SEN news here.

“Beware Low Amp Current – It’s More Dangerous Than You Think.”