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Electrical Hazards in Hospitals Electrical Hazards in Hospitals
Electrical Hazards in Hospitals Electrical Hazards in Hospitals
Outline
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS IN HOSPITALS
Some statistical facts
How electricity works
Zahra Moussavi, Ph.D.
Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Human Body and Electricity
Potential Hazards in Hospital
Examples
Recommendations
Unintended retention of a foreign object in a patient after
In 1970s, ~20,000 death/year due to electric shocks surgery or other procedure
Patient death or serious disability associated with a medication
in hospitals in US hospitals error
According to 2008’s report, ~98000 death/year in
g p y Patient death or serious disability
associated with an electric shock
US hospitals due to medical errors resulting $17 to
while being cared for in a health
$29 billion in health care costs. care facility
As of Oct. 2008, Medicare (US) stopped paying for Patient death or serious disability associated with a fall while
being cared for in a health care facility
“Never Events”. Artificial insemination with the wrong donor sperm or donor
egg
3 Source: The National Quality Forum. 4
standards since then. A patient died from an electric shock due to short circuit in a private
A woman (mid 60s) in Washington D.C., after a successful
( ) h f f l hospital in Egypt; Jan 2008
hospital in Egypt; Jan. 2008.
http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=11458
thyroid surgery received an electrical spark on turning off the A 4‐year old gild died due to electrocution by a heart monitor; Dec. 1986.
anaesthesia machine and died 4 hours later. – Feb. 1971 http://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/05/us/around‐the‐nation‐hospital‐electrocution‐of‐child‐is‐investigated.html
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The same thing occurs in an Electrical Wire
Example: A Garden Hose current
High voltage Low Voltage
V=IR
Low Pressure V = electrical potential (volts)
Water Moves to I = electrical current (amps)
from High R = resistance (ohms)
Pressure
7 8
Is she in danger?!
It is not the VOLTAGE but the CURRENT
that can kill!
As long as she
swings on one
g
line only and
doesn’t touch any
where else, NO!
9 10
The transmission
line’s resistance
between A‐B is Quite often the large eagles
almost zero.
The resistance of
The resistance of V >110 kV i2 close to the power post get
the 2nd path is much A B electrocuted and die.
higher than the line i1
path.
i2 << i1
Most of current always flows in the path with the least resistance.
11 12
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¾ Is he in danger?
Symbol: Earth Equipment Virtual
Grounding is extremely important for both Safety & Noise
in the recording/displaying
in the recording/displaying ¾ Would it make a
Would it make a
difference if this guy
Earth Ground: Absolute Zero Volt (a well with a rod of at least
8 ft in contact with the soil directly) stands on one foot?
The devices with 3‐wire cords are connected to Earth Ground Better or worse?
Floating Ground: Any reference point of the lowest
voltage (can be potentially dangerous)
13 14
+ AC is what comes Does it matter if we receive
0
Volts
-
out of wall outlets. an AC or DC shock?
Time (sec.)
In the West, it is 60
the West it is 60 We need to know how our
We need to know how our
Direct Current (DC) cycles/sec (60 Hz). skin behaves as the
0
+ DC flows in one frequency changes
Volts
- direction.
Time (sec.)
15 16
Skin Resistance Measurement Some Measurements
Vs= 2 V dc, i=0.9 μA
1 kΩ
1 kΩ Vs= 2 V p‐p at 60 Hz, i
i i=10.5 μA ~
Vs= 2 V p‐p at 1 kHz, Vs
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1 Reminder
Impedance of a Capacitor: Z c =
jcω When you connect two elements in series,
the effective resistance increases; but in
But what we measure: 1
Zc = parallel connection, the effective resistance
cω decreases.
A capacitor shows a very high resistance at
Impedance of a Resistor: ZR = R
low frequency and a very low resistance at
Generalized Ohm’s Law: V = Z .I high frequencies.
21 22
1
Zc = and Z skin = Z c || Rskin
dc
Temperature
cω ¾ Sweat & wet skin reduces skin’s resistance significantly.
Therefore
Therefore, Frequency
C R ¾ The higher the frequency, the lower the skin resistance
Don’t mix this concept with skin’s low‐pass filtering
freq Zc Zskin effect on pulse penetration, as in i.e. ultrasound, etc.
The Voltage Amplitude
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Skin Conductivity
Skin conductivity in reality is In this graph:
not a linear function of either
voltage nor current. V (peak)= 20 Volts, f=20Hz,
In this graph: room temp., dry skin, forearm
V (peak)= 5, 10, and 15 Volts,
f=20Hz, room temp. The average breakdown voltage,
10 measurements
Dry skin, 1 ECG electrode on Subject Forearm Chest Palm Thigh
the Right forearm & Ref #1 male 15 V 30 V 34 V 42 V
electrode on the Left hand. #2 female 25 V 15 V 40 V 20 V
25 26
freq
Zskin
conductivity
27 28
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Dry Skin resistance for AC 60 Hz current varies
from 15 kΩ ‐ 300 kΩ/cm2. Chassis Patient
A wet skin’s resistance can be as low as 150 Ω. Leakage Lead
Current Leakage
Internal body resistance for each limb is about
200Ω, trunk = 100Ω. Device not in contact with 500 μA NA
The safety limit for micro‐shock = 10 μA. patient
Device with non‐isolated leads 100 μA 50 μA
Anything between 80 – 600 μA can cause
Device with isolated leads 100 μA 10 μA
fibrillation.
33 34
If there is no connection between the circuit
board and the chassis of the device, then how
It is the current that flows from the device through is the Leakage Current Produced?
the grounding conductor into the Ground.
p g
If there is no protecting Ground wire in the unit, it Stray Capacitors are the
can flow in any path that is provided by touching culprit!
the chassis of the unit. ~2500 pF Æ an impedance
Leakage Current is the main source of electric of ~1 MΩ
hazards in hospitals.
Ground
35 36
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Electric Hazards in Hospital,
Hazards in Hospital, Examples
Examples
Electric Hazards 0.1 mA leakage current: 99.8 mA goes Normal Condition
to Ground; only 0.2 mA flows through
Faulty Ground wire Æ Leakage patient’s heart.
Current will flow in any path provided
by a connection to the chassis.
Ground Loop Current
Overload use of a socket Æ Heat,
melting wire insulation, etc. (a lesser
problem as fuses should protect it.)
Ground wire has only 1 Ω resistance << heart’s resistance (~500 Ω)
37 38
Electric Hazards in Hospital,
Hazards in Hospital, Examples
Examples Is this patient in danger?
All of the leakage current of 0.1 mA will flow Ground wire of the bed
through the patient’s heart. is broken, patient is
equipped with a
transvenous pacing
catheter connected to a
catheter connected to a
battery operated
pacemaker. Patient is
also connected to an
ECG monitor.
Ground wire is broken
39 40
Is this patient in danger? Is this patient in danger?
170V No faulty Ground but the lamp has a two‐wire power cord.
i= > 0.1mA
(1000000Ω) 2 + (100500Ω) 2
~ Patient
2.5 nF
Nurse
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Is this patient in danger? Arterial pressure
monitor and the ECG
No faulty Ground, all cords are also 3‐wire cords. monitor are connected Vacuum ECG
Cleaner Monitor
to 2 outlets that their
grounds are connected
together at a central G1
power distribution +
panel many feet from
panel many feet from 80 mV
the ICU area. -
The vacuum cleaner is
connected into a wall Arterial
outlet on the same Pressure
circuit as the ECG Monitor
monitor.
G2
43 44
Vacuum ECG
Cleaner Monitor
The main cause of most electric hazards are due to:
Faulty Ground
1A × 0.08Ω = 80mV + Different Grounds Æ Ground Loop
80 mV Leakage Current Flow due to Grounding problems
80mV
i= = 160μA
-
Overload of an outlet
500Ω Arterial
Pressure
Monitor
45 46
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Do NOT use Extension Cords in Patients Care
Use devices with 3‐wire cords (having Ground wire)
Make sure the Ground wire is not faulty.
Use the same Ground for all devices (avoid Ground
Use the same Ground for all devices (avoid Ground
Extension cords are approved for temporary use only. If extended
Loop).
use is required, hard wiring such as a new outlet should be installed. In cases the patient’s heart is connected to a device
Extension cords are easily frayed, a condition which may expose directly, do not touch any conductive material and
bare wires. If not properly placed, extension cords may also the patient simultaneously.
become a trip hazard.
49 50
Questions?
s s