Buzz
Sticking your finger into an electrical socket could leave you looking like this individual.
Mike Kemp/Rubberball Productions/Getty ImagesMany people, especially parents, often wonder what would occur if someone—likely their child—were to stick their finger into an electrical outlet. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, around 4,000 people end up in the emergency room each year due to injuries from electrical outlets. Roughly one-third to one-half of these cases involve children who inserted either a metal object (like a paperclip or spoon) or their finger into the socket. Though this might seem like a large number, these individuals are fortunate. Hundreds of others don’t make it to the emergency room at all.
Sticking your finger into an electrical outlet can lead to severe injuries or even death. The human body is an excellent conductor of electricity. Electricity constantly seeks the quickest route to the ground. Since about 70 percent of the human body is water, electricity can easily flow through you within seconds. At a minimum, an electric shock can result in:
- Headaches
- Muscle fatigue or spasms
- Temporary loss of consciousness
-
Shortness of breath
Electrical shocks can cause severe and potentially fatal side effects, such as:
- Severe burns at the point of contact and along the path of the electricity through the body
- Loss of vision
- Loss of hearing
- Brain damage
- Respiratory arrest or failure
- Cardiac arrest (heart attack)
- Death
If someone nearby sticks metal or another object into an outlet and gets shocked, do NOT touch them. If you do, the electricity could transfer from their body into yours, electrocuting both of you. Quickly use an object that doesn't conduct electricity, like a broomstick or a dry towel, to push the victim away from the outlet. After contact is broken, immediately check for breathing, pulse, and burns, and get medical help without delay.
Plastic outlet covers are a simple way to prevent fingers and objects from entering outlets. However, they aren't foolproof, as children may remove them. A more effective solution, becoming increasingly popular due to its success, is installing tamper-resistant outlets. These are already common in new homes, and older homes can be upgraded with these safer receptacles.
