Contact Release Emergency Response Training
This course was created to meet the annual training requirement for this subject per NFPA 70E 110.6(C)(1). This course includes statistics, concepts, codes and standards, and is focused on how to respond to an emergency where someone is encountered who is contacting energized electrical parts.
The course includes a self paced slide presentation, a test, and a certificate of completion.
This course is hosted on the LMS (learning management system) platform teachable.com and can be found here: https://arcflashinstitute.teachable.com/
[2018-NFPA 70E 110.2(C)(1)]
[2021-NFPA 70E 110.6(C)(1)]
Contact Release Key Information
If you see someone who appears to be receiving an electric shock: do not touch them!
Your instinct may be to grab the person and remove them from danger, but this may endanger your own safety.
Touching a person being shocked may cause you to be shocked.
Approach #1:
- Stop the current flow by turning off power: open a circuit breaker or disconnect switch, or unplug a cord
Approach #2:
- Forcibly remove the victim in a safe way if the power can’t be disconnected quickly enough. This may mean dislodging, hitting or prying the victim with a nonconductive item while remaining in a safe location.
- Before getting close: examine the scene looking for other hazards such as stored energy or hot surfaces.
When dislodging a person from a suspected shock condition, use a non-conductive item such as the following:
- Shepherd’s hook (see image to right)
- Plastic trash can
- Air hoses
- Leather belts
- Extension cords
- Rope
Call 911 and call your shift designated employee(s) to provide First Aid, CPR, and/or AED assistance.
Always seek professional medical attention after a significant electrical shock. Warning signs include:
- Severe burns
- Confusion
- Difficulty breathing
- Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias)
- Cardiac arrest
- Muscle pain and contractions
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
Internal damage isn’t always obvious.
