Beware of Electric Shock Drowning
From our good friends at Excel Electric:
Faulty wiring on a dock or boat or in a pool can send an electrical current into the water. These situations should be resolved by an electrician as soon as possible (visit the site to see an example of one such electrician). When an electrical current occurs in a body of water, the electrical current passes through the body, causing paralysis, and ultimately results in drowning due to the swimmer’s inability to swim anymore. Whenever going on a boat or at least near a large body of water where there are plenty of boats nearby, someone should be equipped with a first aid kit as well as extensive first aid knowledge. If no one in the party has attended a Coast2Coast London course or a first aid course similar, boats and other marine equipment should be avoided.
Tips for swimmers:
1. Don’t swim near boat docks or marinas.
2. Before entering a pool with lights, look to see if they are flickering or working intermittently. If they are, do not enter the water.
3. If you feel a tingling sensation (cuts or sensitive skin areas will tingly first), swim away from that area and get out of the pool immediately without touching any conductive metal parts.
Tips for pool owners or management companies:
1. Only use licensed electricians to do work on the pool.
2. Periodically have your electrical system checked out for safety.
3. Know where the power shut off is and clearly mark it.
4. Be aware of any overhead power lines in the area of the pool that could fall into the pool or onto the deck area. Contact a qualified electrician or the power company if in doubt.
Tips for boat owners:
1. Avoid entering the water when launching or loading a boat. Boats can leak electrical currents into the water!
2. Periodically have your electrical system checked out by a qualified electrician.
3. Have ground fault circuit interrupters installed. Only use components that are “marine listed”. Test GFCIs monthly.