First Aid for Severe Shock Victims

(8) First Aid for Severe Shock Victims.

It has been observed that

not all maintenance personnel are clearly familiar with first-aid procedures

for victims of severe shock. Many victims of electrocution could have been

saved if associates had realized the value of administering first aid

procedures even after cessation of heartbeat. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING

CARDIO-PULMONARY RESUSCITATION TO APPARENTLY DEAD VICTIMS OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED. Cases have been reported where complete recovery

of such victims has been achieved even after many minutes of stopped or

fibrillating heart action and cessation of respiratory function.

c. Grounding Systems. The National Electrical Code has been adopted as

a national standard and is now widely accepted as the minimum requirements

of a grounding system to safeguard personnel and property from electrical

hazards.

The National Electrical Code handbook is available from the

National Fire Protection Association, 470 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA 02210.

(1) Grounding systems and their installation will comply with the

requirements of the latest edition of the National Electrical Code as a

minimum and to the requirement of this bulletin.

(2) Continuity of all grounding conductors within a facility will be

established to a grounding electrode.

The resistance measured from the

facility most remote grounding point to each grounding electrode will be

less than 2 ohms. Maximum resistance of the grounding electrode to earth

will be less than 23 ohms (Article 245-84, National Electrical Code).

(3) Records will be maintained attesting to the adequacy of the

electrical grounding system in the repair or calibration facility.

The

grounding system will be of both proper design and installation.

The

grounding system will be evaluated at 12-month intervals by facilities

engineer personnel to assure consistency of minimal requirements as

specified in the National Electrical Code.

d. Infrared Calibration.

Calibration personnel will exercise the

safety precautions as set forth below and in TB MED 279 and AR 40-46. Where

external mechanical vane type choppers present a hazard, take precautions to

prevent harm to personnel e.g., the use of protective guards, prohibition of

loose clothing, long sleeve shirts, etc.

(1) High Intensity Light Sources.

Permanent eye damage can result

from direct viewing of high intensity light radiation sources. Although it

is not possible to draw a fine line which would identify light radiation

sources which should be considered hazardous, as a general rule the

following should be considered high intensity light sources:

(a) Lamps used as infrared sources.

(b) All are lamps (mercury, xenon, etc).

(c) Single incandescent sources of 400 watts or greater.

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