Megger PFL22M1500 Series, User Manual

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Safety
H
Voltages of greater than 50 V applied across dry unbroken human skin are capable of
producing heart fibrillation if they produce electric currents in body tissues which
happen to pass through the chest area.[citation needed] The electrocution danger is
mostly determined by the low conductivity of dry human skin. If skin is wet, or if
there are wounds, or if the voltage is applied to electrodes which penetrate the skin,
then even voltage sources below 40 V can be lethal if contacted. Additionally
research has shown that where the skin has been compromised, very small voltage of
up to 3V can kill.
Accidental contact with high voltage supplying sufficient energy will usually result in
severe injury or death. This can occur as a person's body provides a path for current
flow causing tissue damage and heart failure. Other injuries can include burns from
the arc generated by the accidental contact. These can be especially dangerous if the
victim's airways are affected. Injuries may also be suffered as a result of the physical
forces exerted as people may fall from height or be thrown a considerable distance.
Low-energy exposure to high voltage may be harmless, such as the spark produced
in a dry climate when touching a doorknob after walking across a carpeted floor.