Talk:Electric shock drowning

Correction I think

I have never edited or responded to a Wikipedia article before, but I have a concern about a safety issue concerning electrical shock drowning that seems to be misrepresented in this Wikipedia article.

The article states “The increased conductivity of saltwater reduces the fraction of the electric current that flows through a submerged person, whose body has a much smaller conductivity than the saltwater. In this case, the current to cause electric shock drowning would be so great that current-limiting circuit breakers would trip and shut off the current, thereby protecting against electric shock drowning in saltwater.[1][2]”.

However, source number 2 referenced above (Morse, M., et al), actually disproves as a myth the belief that saltwater marinas pose little risk of serious electric shock.

The abstract from reference number 2 states, “The common belief is that ESD can only occur in fresh water where the current will be directed through the body because of its greater conductivity than the surrounding fresh water. It is broadly believed that in salt water, the current will shunt around the body. The authors have tested this theory using the finite-element method in simulations of conductivity (with unit of seimens per meter or S/m) ranging from 0.005 S/m (pure water) up to 4.8 S/m (seawater). The results demonstrate that there is varying shunting through the body as water ranges from fresh to salt. Furthermore, the prevailing belief fails to consider that there is also a distinct current limiting affect that is inversely proportional to the conductivity of the water, which in turn acts to narrow the “zone of danger” as water conductivity is decreased. It is imperative that there be public education that supersedes generally held myth and such that electrical injury risk is minimized in both salt and fresh water environments.”

The last two sentences of this quotation show that the authors’ research has demonstrated that the prevailing belief (about electricity in saltwater shunting around the body and therefore virtually eliminating risk of ESD) is an inaccurate myth - i.e., either false or too simplistic.

They show that the shunting VARIES and that the area of the zone danger is increased with the more conductive water (saltwater). So even though fresh water is less conductive, making the electricity prefer to go through the body, the physical zone of danger is smaller. Therefore they urge that the prevailing myth (that electrocution in saltwater is not a risk) be SUPERSEDED by accurate public education.

I think it is really important that someone change this article because someone could read it and decide that swimming in a saltwater marina carries very little or no risk of shock, which is not the case.

Thanks.

[Morse, M.; Kotsch, J.; Prussak, B.; Kohl, J. G. (July 2020). "Examining the Risk of Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) As a Function of Water Conductivity". IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. 56 (4): 4324–4328. doi:10.1109/TIA.2020.2982854. ISSN 1939-9367)] Kitedskis (talk) 06:48, 16 September 2021 (UTC)