STATE AND PROBLEMS OF PRODUCTION AND HOUSEHOLD ELECTROTRAUMATISM IN UKRAINE

Technogenic development of society has caused widespread use in the system «man – production environment» and the system «man – household environment» of household electrical equipment, industrial electrical installations. Failure to comply with the regulated rules of electrical safety of electric current leads to electrical injuries. Designs of electrical installations, equipment, electrical protective measures are constantly being improved. But the level of electrical injuries in Ukraine and abroad tends to increase. This leads to social and economic losses as a result of economic costs in accidents, employee deaths, loss of working time and so on. The most objective indicator of injury is fatal. Thus, the level of fatal injuries at work per 1,000 workers in the developed world compared to the same rate in Ukraine in the UK is 10 times less, in Japan 7 times less, in the US 3 times less. This situation requires analysis and development of appropriate measures to reduce the level of electrical injuries. The analysis of statistical data revealed that the highest level of electrical injuries is observed in the following areas: - in agriculture; - service sector; - in public utilities; - in everyday life. At the same time, the tendency of its growth in the non-productive sphere and the household sector is expressed. So, at present in the general list of accidents from action of an electric current household electric injuries make the largest part – more than 46%. This is due to the insufficient level of education of the population on electrical safety, operation of electrical equipment in high-risk areas or in particularly dangerous by the degree of electric shock. At the same time, the level of domestic electrical injuries is higher in rural than in urban areas. It was also found that the greatest danger is posed by mobile and portable electrical installations, power tools and internal wiring. In addition, the housing of such electrical installations is often grounded through one of the cores of the power cable, which is unacceptable. The reasons for the high level of electrical injuries also include non-compliance with regulated organizational measures to ensure occupational safety and the so-called «human» factor. To improve the situation, it is necessary to intensify and increase the level of training of the population and employees on electrical safety, development and application of more modern switching electrical protection.

Electrical injuries in adult patients – 3 years overview

Electrocutions are a particular type of trauma, usually affecting young active people, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates in extensive injured patients. Those patients require complex, multidisciplinary treatment in specialized burn centers. We conducted a three-year retrospective study in the Burn Unit of the Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania, aiming to identify different factors that characterize electrical injuries, with the goal to improve our clinical practice, in order to decrease overall complications, the morbidity and mortality rates and obtain an optimal functional prognosis for those severely injured patients. Patient-related and injury-related parameters were analyzed, and particularities observed in our burn unit were noted. A clear understanding of the physiopathology of those injuries and their complications is essential for providing an optimal therapeutic strategy. Rapid initiation of systemic supportive measures, accurate diagnostic and an adequate surgical treatment, correctly conducted, are essential for improving the vital and functional prognostic of patients who suffer electric injuries.

Multi-disciplinary Medico-legal Approach and Challenges in Interpretation of Injury from an Amputated Hand: A Case Report

Among various duties of any medico-legal expert, responsibility of Injury Examination Report preparation is encountered routinely in his/her career. Among various challenges faced by the examiner, documenting the injuries becomes exigent when s/he is acquainted with artifact like therapeutic alteration of the injury produced in victim. We report a case of a victim of electric injuries sustained over both his upper limbs. The requisition to prepare an Injury Examination Report was received from investigating officer a month after the incident. On examination of the patient, the challenge faced was that the injured limbs were amputated a day before the examination, and his body showed no other injuries. An urgent consultation with plastic surgeon revealed that the amputated body part was sent for histopathology analysis. A report was prepared from a formalin soaked amputated bilateral hands in pathology department and handed over to the investigating officer. Keywords: amputation; electric injury; injury examination report; medico-legal.