ELECTRICITY AND WATER NEVER MIX, ESPECIALLY AT LAKESIDE BOAT DOCKS
Warsaw, Indiana – Summer’s water recreation season may bring enjoyment, but it is also awash with tragic realities of electrocutions and electrical injuries around boat docks. In recent days, a Lafayette, Indiana teen was with three other boys swimming near a lakeside boat dock when they all felt a tingle. Unfortunately he tried to climb out of the water on a metal ladder on the energized boat dock and suffered a fatal electric shock.
The description of the experience told by the survivors caused an Indiana conservation officer to say it serves as a warning for swimmers to be on the lookout for similar situations. He added, “The best thing to do if you start feeling tingle is to try to get out of the water as soon as possible the best and quickest way you can.” The tragedy is parallel to dozens of similar accidents throughout the county.
Boat docks frequently are wired for lighting and to provide power for appliances and other needs; however weather and wear can expose wiring to the water, and voltage can invisibly surround a dock and swimming area. “The result of contact between water and electricity can be serious, even deadly,” says Kosciusko REMC Energy Advisor Carol Presley Ousley. “And in most instances if potential safety hazards are taken into consideration and handled proactively, accidents and deaths could be avoided.”
While electrical casualty logs are rife with dockside deaths, fatalities and less serious injuries can also occur aboard watercraft. A 56-year-old man swimming from the stern of a boat in Lake Michigan was electrocuted because of wiring on the boat. Investigators said a reverse polarity situation and a neutral wire that was grounded to the boat had energized the metal trim. In a similar mishap a 14- year-old boy died of electric shock on an Arkansas houseboat because the grounding pin on an electrical plug had been disabled and the grounded neutral wire energized the hull.
These examples of electric shock drowning occur when a low level of current either flows through the water or the metal on a boat, disabling the muscle function of swimmers. It is often caused by an undetected ground fault, which could be prevented by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI.) “An important step to ensure dock safety is to include ground fault circuit interrupter protection. Make sure the GFCI is professionally installed to prevent shock, electrocution and injury,” says Presley.
In addition to poorly installed and maintained electrical wiring on docks, another common cause of electric shock drowning is faulty boat wiring that is not in compliance with American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards. The ABYC advises boat owners wanting to modify electrical outlets that, “The most important thing to look for when purchasing an outlet box for your boat is the UL mark. In a 120V system you will want to
look for the UL 514 mark on the outlets and the boxes. Using products with this mark eliminates the chance of an un-marked product failing and causing an unsafe situation.
On the issue of wiring or upgrading electrical service on docks, the ABYC says that work should be done by a licensed professional, and adds, “NFPA 303 Fire Protection Standards for Marinas and Boatyards, covers this exact topic in accordance with the National Electric Code. Contact information and document ordering information can be found at the FPA website at www.NFPA.org.”
If you plan to go boating or fishing this summer, be aware of your surroundings and potential electrical hazards. “Always check the location of nearby power lines before boating or fishing,” says Presley. “Contact between your boat and a power line could be devastating.”
Maintain a distance of at least ten feet between your boat and nearby power lines to be safe. If your boat does come in contact with a power line, never jump out of the boat into the water – the water could be energized. Instead, stay in the boat and avoid touching anything metal until help arrives or until your boat is no longer in contact with the line. Also, check for the location of power lines before fishing. Make sure you are casting the line away from power lines to avoid potential contact.
For more information and videos on electrical safety, visit the website of www.SafeElectricity.org, or contact Presley at 574-267-6331 for safety information.
Kosciusko REMC is a Touchstone Energy® electric cooperative serving over 17,000 customers throughout Kosciusko County and into surrounding counties. |
