CURRENT AND THE HUMAN BODY
Human body tissues are good conductors of electricity, due to ions in solution in the body. The body’s resistance varies from 100 to 500,000 , with average being about 100,000 . Electrocution is caused by current, not voltage.
CURRENTEFFECT ON BODY.001 A (1 mA)Can be felt.005 A (5 mA)Painful.010 A (10 mA) Involuntary muscle contractions (spasms).015 A (15 mA)Loss of muscle control.070 A (70 mA) Serious disruption to heart function; probably fatal if lasting more than 1 second
CURRENT AND THE HUMAN BODY Current can only pass through your body if there is a potential difference between one part and another. Being grounded produces a potential difference and a path for the current to follow.
CURRENT AND THE HUMAN BODY Fuses or Circuit Breakers are devices that open an electric circuit when too much current flows in it (10-30 A). They are not sensitive enough to protect the human body from shock.
CURRENT AND THE HUMAN BODY Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupt (GFCI) Outlets open the circuit when the current to ground is around 5 mA, so they provide protection from shock. They are required where water and electricity are close together.