Provo City

Power Safety


Insulators, Conductors and You

  • Insulators:  An electrical insulator is a material through which electrical current does not flow very easily. To understand electrical insulators a little better, think of how a potholder insulates you from heat. Electrical insulators can reduce or even stop the flow of electricity. Some examples of electrical insulators are rubber, plastic, glass, etc.

  • Conductors:  Electrical conductors allow electrical current to flow through them easily. Some examples of electrical conductors are silver ware, paper clips, wires, water, etc. We use conductors and insulators to get electricity to appliances like your television safely.

  • Are you an electrical insulator or conductor?  Remember we said that water is an electrical conductor. Do you know how much of your body is made up of water? About 70% of your body is water. That means that a person who weighs 100 pounds (45.5 kilograms) has about 8 1/2 gallons (32.2 liters) of water in their body. In other words, you're a walking, talking conductor. That's one of the main reasons an electrical shock can be so dangerous to you.

Electricity and the Ground

When we use electricity, it travels in wires or electrical cords. We call this path of wires and cords a circuit. The electricity will stay in the circuit unless it finds an easy path to ground. In other words, if a conductor is touching the circuit (the metal of the wire or cord) and is also touching the ground or something connected to ground, the electricity will travel to the ground. Remember that you are a conductor. You make an easy path to ground if you touch a circuit with electricity in it. That's when you get shocked or electrocuted.

Beware! Electricity in high voltage (high electrical "pressure") circuits may actually jump off a circuit to get to ground through you. When it jumps like that, we say the electricity is arcing.

What a Shock Does to Your Body

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  • Heart: Your heart may stop or flutter. Also your veins may contract making it harder for your heart to pump blood.

  • Muscle spasms: When electricity goes through your muscles, they contract. This might make it so you can't let go of a grabbed wire or walk away. Also your chest muscles could contract and make it difficult or impossible to breath.

  • Nerves: Electricity can injure nerves which may cause unconsciousness, paralysis, brain damage and many other problems.

  • Burns: As electricity enters and leaves your body, it may leave burns. These burns can be bad enough to kill a person or destroy an arm or leg.

What to do if Someone is Shocked

  • Never touch the person if there is a chance that electricity is still going through them. If you do touch a person who has electricity going though him or her, you will get shocked too. You're no help to the person if you get shocked.

  • Unplug the thing that is shocking the other person, or shut the power off by using the circuit breaker or fuse. (If children are old enough, parents should teach children where circuit breakers and fuses are and how to use them.) If someone is being shocked by electricity from power lines, call 911 immediately and dispatch should contact the utility to shut off the power in the line.

  • Call 911 for medical help.

  • Use appropriate first-aid and CPR techniques only if you are trained to do so. Remember, don't touch a shock victim unless the power has been shut off.

Dos and Don'ts:

Things To Do:

  • If someone is being shocked, pull the plug or otherwise turn off the power source to the thing that is shocking him or her.

  • Call 911 if someone is shocked.

  • Use appropriate first-aid and CPR techniques only if you are trained to do so. Remember, don't touch a shock victim unless the power has been shut off.

  • If you smell smoke or see a flame that might be caused by an electrical appliance, pull the plug or turn off the power at the circuit breakers or fuses.

  • If you see a fallen power line, call 911 and the power company.

Do Not:

  • Do not touch bare wires, frayed wires, power lines, power-company equipment, or any other thing that may be conducting electricity.

  • Do not use frayed power cords at all. Have an adult fix or replace the cord if practical.

  • Do not even go near things with high voltage (high electrical "pressure") since the electricity may jump right off the circuit to you to get to ground.

  • Do not touch anyone that is being shocked. If you do, you will get shocked too. Don't even go near someone if they are being shocked by power lines or some other high voltage circuit.

  • Do not fly kites near power lines.

  • Do not play on or near power lines, transformers, substations, or any power-company equipment.

  • Do not use electrical appliances while you are on or in water or while you or the appliance are wet.

  • Do not put water on a fire started by electricity or near electrical outlets or appliances. The water might conduct electricity and may cause a bigger fire and shock you.

More Electrical Safety Information

If you are a Provo City Power customer, you can get more electrical safety information by coming to our office to get some free literature or borrow a video. We have some great stuff for kids and adults.

If you are not a Provo City Power customer, contact your local utility or fire department to what kind of additional information on electrical safety they may have.


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