What is the lowest current from a 110 volt power source that has the potential to cause a fatality?

Prepare for the CSMLS Safety Test with comprehensive quizzes and detailed explanations. Use multiple choice questions and flashcards to enhance your understanding and ensure exam readiness!

The lowest current from a 110 volt power source that has the potential to cause a fatality is typically around 15 milliamperes. When considering electrical safety, particularly with regard to the human body, it's important to understand that currents as low as 10 to 20 milliamperes can cause ventricular fibrillation, which can be fatal.

At approximately 15 milliamperes, the human heart can react unpredictably, leading to serious complications or death. The threshold for feeling a shock often starts lower than this, but the danger lies in the incapacity to control muscle movement or breath, which can occur at this level of current. This level has been identified in safety guidelines regarding electrical shock and its potential hazards.

In contrast, considerably higher currents, such as those in the range of 15 to 250 amperes, while they can cause burns and other injuries, do not represent the same risk level for electrical fatality through ventricular fibrillation as this lower current does. Keeping these factors in mind is essential for understanding the risks of electricity, particularly when it comes to the safety of individuals working with electrical devices or in environments where electrical exposure is a possibility.

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