Electrical safety equipment is all around us in our homes. Many people don't think about the basic principles of electricity, how dangerous it is, and how we are protected every single day from this powerful element by equipment that is designed solely to keep us safe. Much time, planning and preparation has gone into keeping us safe from electricity and electrical hazards. A guide to individual state's electrical regulations can be found here (NEIS). Following is a description of what electricity is and how we are protected from it by electrical safety equipment.
What Is Electricity and Why Is it So Dangerous?
In our homes electricity is the flow of electrically charged particles through wires. These particles are called atoms. Atoms are the smallest breakdown of anything. Atoms have three parts, protons, neutrons and electrons. The protons and neutrons don't move. It is the electrons that move around the protons and neutrons. As these electrons move an electrical current is formed. Electrical current is measured in amps or milliamps. Although there are many factors that determine the hazards of an electrical current, know that as little as 20 milliamps can fatally injured or kill a person. Anything over 5 milliamps is considered dangerous. If exposed to as little as 6 milliamps of electrical current, muscle control could be lost and it may not be possible to let go of the electrical source.
