Experts suggest steps to avoid electrocution

Advise people to stay away from electricity installations, broken cables during rain

KARACHI:

Health experts have called upon the general public to take certain precautionary measures to avoid electrocution during the rains.

They said that electricity poles and cables, and lightning could cause casualties during rains. They said, if a person gets electric shock, use dry wood to detach him or her from the cable or pole.

According to them, electrocution could severely damage tissues in the victim's body. It could also cause muscles straining and mental disorientation.

Professor Amjad Siraj Memon, Vice Chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, said that his institute creates awareness about research-based proposals and initiatives so that loss of life could be avoided by adopting safe procedures in the absence of a qualified health professional.

Chairperson of Institute of Family Medicine, Professor Marie Andrades and Assistant Professor Kiran Zeeshan appealed to the public to avoid touching any person who has been electrocuted and immediately report to the concerned authorities or police.

They also advised the public to stay away from rainwater stagnating around electricity installations. They said that the public should stay away from electricity poles and broken power cables.

The public has also been advised not to use wet electrical appliances, not to climb trees near the power lines, and not to tie their bicycles to electricity poles.

The health experts further said that if rainwater inundates a house, the main power supply should be switched off immediately and should not be switched on until the water drains out.

The health experts said that the survival of a victim depends on for how long he or she sustained the electric shock. If a person is exposed to electric shock for a longer duration, then his body organs could be badly affected. The victim's blood could be burnt, tissues could be affected and he could become mentally disoriented. The shock could even kill the affected person.

The experts recommended that the affected person should be placed on his left side while taking him to hospital. They said young children should be particularly warned about the risks of electrocution during the rainy season.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2022.