The Four Main Types of Electrocution Injuries
Experts have divided up electrocution injuries down into four main categories by the source of the charge:
- Lighting Injuries: usually surface-level or external and they’re caused by low duration, high voltage charges, like in a lightning strike.
- Flash Injuries: only affects the skin of the victim and doesn’t cause the damage to any deeper layers.
- Flame Injuries: when electric charge causes the clothing or material in contact with the victim to catch fire, it could cause this type of injury.
- True Electrical Injuries: this type of injury happens when the victim becomes part of the electrical circuit, where the electricity can flow from one side of their body and out through another.
Additional Common Injuries Caused by Electrocution: skin burns, seizures, headaches, unconsciousness, tingling or numbness, muscle pain and spasm, broken bones, trouble breathing, heart attack.
Common Causes of Electrocution Injuries: exposure on worksite, high-power lines, faulty machinery, contact with exposed wiring, faulty appliances.