• jackoneill@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Electricity likes the path of least resistance to ground. If you are only touching with one hand, most likely the current well run down that side of your body to ground more or less. If both hands are touching it makes it more likely for the current to cross your heart which greatly increases the risk of death

    • Zozano@aussie.zone
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      1 year ago

      This is why in electrical trade you’re taught to use your right hand, with your right foot below your shoulder, and left leg out (when doing anything sketchy).

      If you do get shocked then the current will travel down the right-side of your body, and out through your right leg.

      That’s not to say throw caution to the wind, but some people need to do risky things (that’s why sparkies get paid a lot).

      For example, a guy I used to work with had to repair a switchboard at the hospital, which supplied power to the theatre rooms. Time sensitive matter as I’m sure you can imagine.

      This guy was a pro, and was wise to take the safety precaution. When it came time to power back on the switchboard, not only did he right-hand/right-foot, he shielded his body and face with the switchboards door panel.

      Something inside blew up, and he got his hand burned quite badly. Fortunate for him to be at a hospital. In this case he didn’t need the right-hand/right-foot technique, but if things happened differently, it could have saved his life.

      • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        I can’t think of any reason the ability to watch movies would ever be that important, hospital or otherwise.

        • Lyrl@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          You are probably being sarcastic, but for those who haven’t come across it - operating rooms are often called theaters.

      • fkn@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It obviously isn’t. You can see it sparking in the video as it energized the wire. If it was to ground those minor sparks would have been massive arcing and that wire would melt.

    • Farid@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      But if it didn’t shock him while he was using one hand it’s not gonna shock him when he switched to using both hands either.

      • batmaniam@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You’re not wrong lmfao. But it’s exactly like “I don’t need a helmet, I simply won’t get hit”.

        Im not convinced with this much juice it would have made a difference, and if you’re committed to doing it this way you ARE probably better off doing whatever helps you avoid the worst, not mitigating it, BUT there are a LOT of stories of people who have been saved by best practices.

        Every line of Osha (or whatever it is in your country) is written in blood.