EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Electric shock statistics

Does anyone have any data or statistics showing the numbers of staff or patients that receive an electric shock (fatal or otherwise) in medical institutions?

This data can be from any country but ideally from the UK, Europe or USA. Maybe if anyone has a contact in the MHRA or other regulatory body they could ask for such data.

I suspect there will be little, as the only events I can find on the Internet are shocks from faulty implants (pacemakers etc.) or other similar devices intended to give an electric current. I need some data, if any can be found, on events where operators or patient received an electric shock originating from the mains supply, as a result of faulty equipment.

Given the generally high standards of equipment maintenance these days coupled with strict standards for medical devices (Medical Device Directive, 60601 etc.) and good quality electrical installations I would expect almost no recorded instances of electric shock.

If you really want data about patients being electrocuted whilst being "cared for", you'll really need to cast your net a little further afield, I'm afraid, Mike.

Even then, of course, you'd need to apply a "fiddle factor" to account for the multitude of "cover-ups".

Meanwhile, here is an old document (and on a slightly different tack); but probably still worth bearing in mind, nevertheless.

Serious students of this stuff - and (or) those with plenty of spare cash - might like to consider this book; whilst the rest of us shall need to make do with whatever is available in the Public Domain. Stuff like this, for example.

This article is very outdated and fails to take into account CVC dialysis should only be conducted using the right equipment. In other words the dialysis machine must have CF applied parts.

In fact the maximum leakage they measured, with the earth disconnected was 37uA, so even a CF applied part could have this in a fault condition. Therefore I don't think they proved the case that the patient death was as a result of electric shock. It also fails to take into account that the current must have traveled via a path, from the arteriovenous fistula to the heart and then on some return path to ground. The current density by the time it reached the heart would have been very low, so highly unlikely to have caused VF.

This sort of article is typical of the myths that have grown up around electrical safety in medical locations. I suspect few will be responding to my request, as we already have safe equipment and electrical installations but there are those who want to demand more safety, which will come at a high cost, without any data to back it up.

Have you tried the FDA MAUDE database?

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/search.cfm

Chose your date range and select 'Shock, electrical' in the Product Problem dropdown box.

Yes, and can find only one report in the last 5 years to an operator. Reading this report, where a mobile x-ray unit went bang at switch on after water ingress, I suspect it was a shock the staff received rather than an electric shock! (Although, since no one tested the mains socket-outlet earth we will never really know.)

All other reports are where a device, such as a pacemaker, internal defib or other stimulus device, gave a higher or uncontrolled output. Not really what I was looking for.

Shocks by (to) the user are more likely to be due to a damaged mains cable and (or) plug, I would have thought. Not to mention damaged or faulty mains power outlets, "extension cables", "cheaters", and all the rest!

Possibly spilled fluids (saline, coffee) as well; rather than due to the equipment per se.

That, and user "negligence" - and therefore perhaps not always reported!

But there again, maybe the dearth of electric shock mishaps has simply been due to effectiveness of (preventive) maintenance regimes and the diligence of electrical safety testing!

Indeed and the stringent requirements placed on the design of medical equipment (Medical Device Directive, IEC 60601-1 etc.).

These taken with the use of the isolated mains supplies for socket-outlets in theatres and the use of RCD protection for all other socket-outlets, as required by the wiring regulations, means the chances of being electrocuted when using medical electrical equipment are minimal.

Pleased to hear that my life's work (or at least two of my previous lives, at any rate) has not been entirely in vain!

Although I must again stress that matters have not always been - and probably still aren't - so rosy in some "overseas locations" (that is, a few of my other lives).