safety life_threatening ai_generated true

AI advises touching an electrocution victim before power is disconnected

ID: safety/electrical-shock-response

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
92%Fix Rate
95%Confidence
3Evidence
2024-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
any active — — —

Root Cause

Touching a person being electrocuted makes you part of the circuit — the current flows through you too. Disconnect power FIRST. Downed power lines can electrify the ground for meters around them.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 90% success 1) Disconnect power at the breaker/fuse box or unplug the device. 2) If you can't disconnect power, use a DRY non-conductive object (wooden broom handle, rubber mat) to push the victim away from the source. NEVER use metal or wet materials.
  2. 92% success For downed power lines: call emergency services immediately. Keep everyone 10m+ away. If in a car touching a downed line, STAY IN THE CAR until power company arrives. If car is on fire, jump out with both feet together (don't step) and hop away.

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Touch or grab a person who is being electrocuted 95% fail

    The human body conducts electricity. Touching the victim while they're still connected to the power source makes you a second victim. Rescuers die this way regularly. ALWAYS disconnect power first.

  2. Approach a downed power line or a person near one 92% fail

    Downed power lines can electrify the ground in a radius around them (step potential). Walking near one creates a voltage difference between your feet that can kill. Stay at least 10 meters (35 feet) away.