Electrocutions in Pools and Docks

    I was reading one of my Tech Blogs. Thought you guys might be interested in this. Old information to most of you hopefully.


    If It's New Information, then good thing I decided to Post...


    Be careful around those Docks. If you have your Boat at a Marina, you might want to verify Owner has his ducks lined up.


    ---------------- Posted news Stories with Link Reference -------------------


    Lawsuit Filed in Electrocution at Lake Powell


    A lawsuit has been filed in the death of a 22-year-old man who jumped into Lake Powell last year and was electrocuted. The suit claims the water was charged with electricity from a boat plugged into the wrong size power outlet


    Lawsuit Filed in Electrocution at Lake Powell | Shock & Electrocution content from Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) Magazine


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    Miami Family Files Lawsuit Over Son's Electrocution in Pool


    A North Miami family filed a lawsuit this week over the electrocution of 7-year-old Calder Sloan in April. The boy was swimming in the pool at his home when the pool light overheated, causing the wiring to fail and sending current through the water, according to a report in the Miami Herald.


    The Sloan family named several defendants in the case, alleging that the electrocution was the result of "a series of avoidable safety blunders." The lawsuit names the following companies:


    Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc., the manufacturer of the light
    All Florida Pool & Spa Center, a pool maintenance company
    Gary B Electric and Construction Consultant, Inc., an electrical company
    Jorge Perez Enterprises, Inc., a home inspection company


    Miami Family Files Lawsuit Over Son's Electrocution in Pool | Shock & Electrocution content from Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) Magazine


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    Swimmer Electrocuted from Dock at Lake of the Ozarks


    A man was electrocuted by a dock as he climbed out of the water last week at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. The 21-year-old was swimming at a dock when he and a fellow swimmer felt electricity in the water. The highway patrol reported he tried to get out of the water by using the dock ladder, but when he did so, he was shocked and fell into the water face-down.


    Swimmer Electrocuted from Dock at Lake of the Ozarks | Shock & Electrocution content from Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) Magazine


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    Quote from Dude george

    :@ I had no clue!!


    Same for me George, I understood the technical aspect, but was a little surprised when I saw so many articles on it, I only posted a few samples.


    I'm not familiar with frequency and checks typical of Marinas across USA / the globe. Interesting Topic from a Safety perspective.


    I also do my light reading on Industrial Accidents in the work place. As a Designer of Elect Equipment, being aware of what happens on the bad side can only help me with my thought process.


    Some of the deaths are pretty crazy and off the wall.


    Remember #1 Safety Device is Education...

    I worked on a shrimp farm that had metal catwalks going out into the pond where you could hang trays with feed to monitor consumption.
    The ponds also had about 13 hp per acre of electric aerators running. Sometimes the catwalks were live. The power was all 480 volt too. Lucky no one ever got injured.


    We buy quite a bit of equipment for our hatcheries from Pentair. Used to be called Aquatic EcoSystems.

    It makes me angry to hear reports like this.


    I am a Licensed Master Electrician with over 30 years in the business. The National Electrical code has laws governing the minimum requirements for electrical installations, including pools, baths, spas, marinas, fountains etc. If these installations are grounded and Ground fault protected by these laws, the risk from electrical shock is greatly reduced. Nothing is perfectly fail safe, but I have never heard of an accident where all requirements of the code are met. Notify your local inspection department if you have concerns in your area. I once reported the county fair due to concerns about the temporary power to several of the attractions. It was shut down for a short period of time till GFCI'S were installed, and temporary cables were removed out of standing water. I have seen some nightmares due to home owners and jackleg contractors performing work. A pool light is required to be low voltage, GFCI protected, or both, depending on the state. Any electrical on or near the water or wet surfaces is required to be properly grounded and GFCI protected.


    Electricity is not a hobby. Make sure that the contractor is licensed and bonded. If you have concerns, dont go near it, and call the local authority.

    Quote from Mighty kc

    It makes me angry to hear reports like this.


    I am a Licensed Master Electrician with over 30 years in the business.........


    KC, Agree 100%, Lots of people cutting corners or not knowing what they are doing. People following up behind them are the one's at risk.


    This goes for much more than Electrical.


    Here are the two Biggest STUPID electrical hazards I have seen. ( many more)


    -1- My old company was buying out smaller companies and combining capability. Anyway, My Crew was on site to disconnect equipment and load on trucks etc. In Power Disconnect box to one machine, Fuses were short sections of conduit.


    Conduit for Fuses..... :@


    Post that discovery, Crew Stopped work and all got outside of building to review procedures and what else they might find. This type of ignorance was through out the Facility.


    -2- This was from a different company that was bought in the same time frame. Behind a Safety Screen that was not labeled or interlocked. Anyway some 1/4" Copper rods used as conductors on a supply.


    The Copper rods operate at 10KV and 1 Amp max.


    What ticked me off is some idiot wrapped the rods with Red and Black electrical tape. He had no clue thinking this was making it safer.


    This did nothing at 10KV and he did was provide a false sense of safety to guy following up behind him. That guy would get killed.


    I can get on a Roll on my Soap box for crap out there that makes something look safe when it does nothing.. Bare copper rods was safer than the stupid Tape job.

    ---------------------------------------------------


    I had another Electrical Tech using 12VDC rated plastic caps on 480V terminals. Tech had some 30 years of Electrical Experience. He just didn't get it after multi efforts. He just saw it as better than nothing.


    I Freaking Hate systems designed with "Switched Neutrals". I get all excited when I see them. Had a few techs not really understand , Post my rants they are like WOW, I Hate them too. These will kill the tech, not me. I stand back he's the one measuring or working on equipment.

    Edited once, last by Linghunt ().


    So, I see it every day still.


    People who treat medium voltage the same as 600vac nominal. People who think that enough 33+ will insulate anything regardless of voltage. Hard for me to say what is the worst thing ive seen, but the pool light wired to one leg of 220vac and the other to the pool ground had to rate right up there. I put a meter on the ladder and it read 60 volts to ground. The guy that called me said his daughter complained that the ladder shocked here. I called the county on the pool contractor.

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