Types of Earthing

There are various ways of doing EARTHING: 1. Conventional EARTHING * Pipe Earthing, * GI Plat Earthing, * Cast Iron plat Earthing, * Copper plat Earthing 2. Maintenance Free EARTHING Conventional Earthing: The Conventional system of Earthing calls for digging of a large pit into which a GI pipe or a copper plate is positioned amidst layers of charcoal and salt. It is cumbersome to install only one or two pits in a day. The Conventional system of GI pipe Earthing or copper plate Earthing requires maintenance and pouring of water at regular interval. Maintenance free earthing: It is a new type of earthing system which is ready made, standardized, scientifically developed. Advantages of Free earthing: 1. Maintenance Free: No need to pour water at regular interval- except in sandy soil. 2. Consistency: Maintain stable and consistent earth resistance around the year. 3. More Surface Area: The conductive compound creates a conductive zone, which provides the increased surface area for peak current dissipation. And also get stable reference point. 4. Low earth resistance. Highly conductive. Carries high peak current repeatedly. 5. No corrosion. Eco Friendly. 6. Long Life. 7. Easy Installation. How earthing Works? The basic idea of a safety from electrical disaster the same everywhere. The case (chassis) of the equipment (and except for special situations, the internal electronics) is connected to an earth pin on the mains outlet. This is then connected through the house wiring and switchboard to an electrically solid earth point, which is called EARTHING or GROUNDING. Should a fault develop within the equipment that causes the active (live) conductor to come into contact with the chassis, the fault current will flow to earth, and the equipment or main switchboard fuse or circuit breaker will blow. This protects the user from electric shock,

bypassing the dangerous current directly to earth, rather than through the body of the unsuspecting poor bastard who just touched it. Earth leakage circuit breakers (RCD - residual current detectors) measure the current in the active and neutral conductors. If these differ by more than a few milliamps, the circuit is disconnected. The principle is simple - if the current in the two wires differs, some of it must be going somewhere that is undesirable, so the supply is interrupted almost instantly. While these are mandatory in some countries (or under some circumstances), it is best not to rely on any advanced technique, but provide a system that is intrinsically safe.

Shock
Electric shock Effects of electric shock factors influencing the electric shock - Precautions against electric shock cure of shock - Treatment for electric shock - artificial respiration - fire hazards due to electricity.

Effects of Electric Shock

Shock Effects

Burns Ventricular fibrillation Neurological effects Arc-flash hazards

What causes electric shock? Factors that determine the form and severity of injury include:

The type and magnitude of current, The resistance of the body at the point of contact different tissues in the body will offer different electrical resistance, The current pathway through the body and the Duration of current flow.

AC, particularly of the common 50-60 Hz (cycles/second) variety, is three to five times more dangerous than DC (direct current) of the same voltage and amperage (current strength).

DC tends to cause a convulsive contraction of the muscles, often forcing the victim away from further current exposure. The effects of AC on the body depend to a great extent on the frequency: low-frequency currents (50 60 Hz) are usually more dangerous than high-frequency currents. AC causes muscle spasm, often 'freezing' the hand (the most common part of the body to make contact) to the circuit. The fist clenches around the current source resulting in prolonged exposure with severe burns. Burns from electricity are the result of extremely high temperatures (up to 5000 degrees C) generated at the point of skin contact with the conductor. They usually involve the skin and the tissues beneath and may be of almost any size and depth. Generally the higher the voltage and the amperage, the greater the damage from either type of current.

Electric Shock
Overview An electric shock can occur upon contact of a human body with any source of voltage high enough to cause sufficient current through the muscles or hair. The minimum current a human can feel is thought to be about 1 milliampere (mA). The current may cause tissue damage or fibrillation if it is sufficiently high. Death caused by an electric shock is referred to as electrocution. Generally, currents approaching 100 mA are lethal if they pass through sensitive portions of the body.

An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact with an electrical energy source. Electrical energy flows through a portion of the body causing a shock. Exposure to electrical energy may result in no injury at all or may result in devastating damage or death. Electric Shock Symptoms A person who has suffered an electric shock may have very little external evidence of injury or may have obvious severe burns. The person could even be in cardiac arrest. * Burns are usually most severe at the points of contact with the electrical source and the ground. The hands, heels, and head are common points of contact. * In addition to burns, other injuries are possible if the person has been thrown clear of the electrical source by forceful muscular contraction. Consideration should be given to the

possibility of a spine injury. The person may have internal injuries especially if he or she is experiencing any shortness of breath, chest pain, or abdominal pain. * Pain in a hand or foot or a deformity of a part of the body may indicate a possible broken bone resulting from the electric shock. * In children, the typical electrical mouth burn from biting an electric cord appears as a burn on the lip. The area has a red or dark, charred appearance.

Treatment for Electric Shock

Self-Care at Home Brief low-voltage shocks that do not result in any symptoms or burns of the skin do not require care. For any high-voltage shock, or for any shock resulting in burns, seek care at a hospital's emergency department. A doctor should evaluate electric cord burns to the mouth of a child. Medical Treatment Treatment depends on the severity of the burns or the nature of other injuries found. * Burns are treated according to severity. o Minor burns may be treated with topical antibiotic ointment and dressings. o More severe burns may require surgery to clean the wounds or even skin grafting. o Severe burns on the arms, legs, or hands may require surgery to remove damaged muscle or even amputation. * Other injuries may require treatment. o Eye injuries may require examination and treatment by an ophthalmologist, an eye specialist. o Broken bones require splinting, casting, or surgery to stabilize the bones. o Internal injuries may require observation or surgery. What is the first aid treatment for shock? * Place the patient on his back with his feet higher than his head. * If there is any active bleeding contributing toward the shock, it should be stopped. * The patient should kept warm. Supply him with adequate belts or other covering. * If there is severe pain that can be relived by the firstaider, this should be done immediately.

* Pain is one of the strongest contributors toward the development of shock. If a fracture is present, it should be splinted. * If it can be determined that there is no injury or wound to the abdomen, the patient may be given warm fluids to drink. * The patient should be transported to the hospital as soon as possible.