Tuesday, 27 August 2013
The Body's Reaction to Electricity
It is a well-known fact that the human body will conduct electricity. A current flows any time the body comes into contact with an electrically energized part while simultaneously making contact with another conductive surface, such as metal. Once the current enters the body at one contact point, it will pass through the body and exit at the other contact point, usually the ground.
Several factors affect the severity of electric shock injuries, including the system voltage, the amount of electricity or amperage, the type of current (direct or alternating), and the body's resistance to the current. The path the current takes through the body and the length of time the body remains in contact with the current are also factors.
The body's reaction to electric shock can range from a minor tingling sensation to instant death. Even at levels as low as 3 milli-amperes, current traveling through the body can cause indirect or secondary injuries, including bruising and bone fractures. Keep in mind that a standard domestic earth leakage device (RCD),when functioning correctly, should disconnect the circuit at 15mA-30mA when a fault condition is detected.
Consider how the body reacts when it comes into contact with the following levels of electricity:
1. The best thing to do is to leave the electrical work to the experts! Registered electricians are dedicated professionals who specialize in their field and study for years. They are qualified to handle electricity and all electrical problems safely and successfully.
2. Ensure that you have a valid certificate of compliance for your electrical and electric fence installation.
3. Regularly test your earth leakage to ensure that it is working correctly
Dan Electrical Contractors specialise in peace of mind. We are registered Master Electricians and can test your electrical or electric fence installation to identify hazards and faulty components before you become part of the statistics.
Contact us today at 012 997 2737 or sales@danelectrical.co.za
www.danelectrical.co.za
Several factors affect the severity of electric shock injuries, including the system voltage, the amount of electricity or amperage, the type of current (direct or alternating), and the body's resistance to the current. The path the current takes through the body and the length of time the body remains in contact with the current are also factors.
The body's reaction to electric shock can range from a minor tingling sensation to instant death. Even at levels as low as 3 milli-amperes, current traveling through the body can cause indirect or secondary injuries, including bruising and bone fractures. Keep in mind that a standard domestic earth leakage device (RCD),when functioning correctly, should disconnect the circuit at 15mA-30mA when a fault condition is detected.
Consider how the body reacts when it comes into contact with the following levels of electricity:
- 0.5-3 mA Tingling sensation
- 3-10 mA Muscle contractions and pain
- 10-40 mA "Let-go" threshold
- 30-75 mA Respiratory paralysis
- 100-200 mA Ventricular fibrillation
- 200-500 mA Heart clamps tight
- 1500+ mA Tissue and organs start to burn
- 220V – 240V Standard domestic installation - sockets, light switches, appliances, heaters,
- small machinery, drill presses etc
- 380V – 440V Large domestic, commercial and industrial installation - Heavy-duty machinery,
- appliances, equipment etc
- 525V -6600V Mining and industrial installations - machinery, substations, transformers etc
- 11000-22000V Incoming feed from the power company
1. The best thing to do is to leave the electrical work to the experts! Registered electricians are dedicated professionals who specialize in their field and study for years. They are qualified to handle electricity and all electrical problems safely and successfully.
2. Ensure that you have a valid certificate of compliance for your electrical and electric fence installation.
3. Regularly test your earth leakage to ensure that it is working correctly
Dan Electrical Contractors specialise in peace of mind. We are registered Master Electricians and can test your electrical or electric fence installation to identify hazards and faulty components before you become part of the statistics.
Contact us today at 012 997 2737 or sales@danelectrical.co.za
www.danelectrical.co.za
Thursday, 1 August 2013
So, what exactly is an electrician...and what do we do?
An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also specialize in wiring ships, airplanes and other mobile platforms.
Electricians are divided into two primary categories: linemen, who work on electric utility company distribution systems at higher voltages, and wiremen, who work with the lower voltages utilized inside buildings. Wiremen are generally trained in one of five primary specialties: commercial, residential, light industrial, industrial, and low-voltage wiring, more commonly known as Voice-Data-Video, or VDV. Other sub-specialties such as control wiring and fire-alarm may be performed by specialists trained in the devices being installed, or by inside wiremen.
Electricians are trained to one of three levels: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Electrician. They generally take several hundred hours of classroom instruction and are contracted to follow apprenticeship standards for a period of between three and six years, during which time they are paid as a percentage of the Journeyman's pay. Journeymen are electricians who have completed their Apprenticeship and who have been found by the local, State, or National licensing body to be competent in the electrical trade. Master Electricians have performed well in the trade for a period of time, often seven to ten years, and have passed an exam to demonstrate superior knowledge of the National Electrical Code, or NEC.
Service electricians are tasked to respond to requests for isolated repairs and upgrades. They have considerable skills troubleshooting wiring problems, installing wiring in existing buildings, and making repairs. Construction electricians primarily focus on larger projects, such as installing all new electrical system for an entire building, or upgrading an entire floor of an office building as part of a remodeling process. Other specialty areas are marine electricians, research electricians and hospital electricians. "Electrician" is also used as the name of a role in stagecraft, where electricians are tasked primarily with hanging, focusing, and operating stage lighting. In this context, the Master Electrician is the show's chief electrician. Although theater electricians routinely perform electrical work on stage lighting instruments and equipment, they are not part of the electrical trade and have a different set of skills and qualifications from the electricians that work on building wiring.
Electrical contractors are businesses that employ electricians to design, install, and maintain electrical systems. Contractors are responsible for generating bids for new jobs, hiring tradespeople for the job, providing material to electricians in a timely manner, and communicating with architects, electrical and building engineers, and the customer to plan and complete the finished product.
www.danelectrical.co.za
Electricians are divided into two primary categories: linemen, who work on electric utility company distribution systems at higher voltages, and wiremen, who work with the lower voltages utilized inside buildings. Wiremen are generally trained in one of five primary specialties: commercial, residential, light industrial, industrial, and low-voltage wiring, more commonly known as Voice-Data-Video, or VDV. Other sub-specialties such as control wiring and fire-alarm may be performed by specialists trained in the devices being installed, or by inside wiremen.
Electricians are trained to one of three levels: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Electrician. They generally take several hundred hours of classroom instruction and are contracted to follow apprenticeship standards for a period of between three and six years, during which time they are paid as a percentage of the Journeyman's pay. Journeymen are electricians who have completed their Apprenticeship and who have been found by the local, State, or National licensing body to be competent in the electrical trade. Master Electricians have performed well in the trade for a period of time, often seven to ten years, and have passed an exam to demonstrate superior knowledge of the National Electrical Code, or NEC.
Service electricians are tasked to respond to requests for isolated repairs and upgrades. They have considerable skills troubleshooting wiring problems, installing wiring in existing buildings, and making repairs. Construction electricians primarily focus on larger projects, such as installing all new electrical system for an entire building, or upgrading an entire floor of an office building as part of a remodeling process. Other specialty areas are marine electricians, research electricians and hospital electricians. "Electrician" is also used as the name of a role in stagecraft, where electricians are tasked primarily with hanging, focusing, and operating stage lighting. In this context, the Master Electrician is the show's chief electrician. Although theater electricians routinely perform electrical work on stage lighting instruments and equipment, they are not part of the electrical trade and have a different set of skills and qualifications from the electricians that work on building wiring.
Electrical contractors are businesses that employ electricians to design, install, and maintain electrical systems. Contractors are responsible for generating bids for new jobs, hiring tradespeople for the job, providing material to electricians in a timely manner, and communicating with architects, electrical and building engineers, and the customer to plan and complete the finished product.
www.danelectrical.co.za
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