Electric Shock First Aid: Make It Safe Before You Touch

Electrical injuries are uncommon but serious, and the first aider is at risk too. The single most important step is making the scene safe. Electrical injuries are covered in the first aid course.

Making it safe

Isolate the supply at the switch, fuse box or plug. If that is impossible with household current, stand on something dry and insulating and push the source away with a dry wooden object. Never attempt this with high voltage.

High voltage

Overhead lines, substations and site generators can arc across several metres. Keep everyone back until the utility confirms the power is off.

Breathing and heart

Electricity can stop the heart. If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR and use an AED as soon as one arrives — see AED use.

Electrical burns

Look for entry and exit burns. Cool them with running water and cover — see burns first aid. Damage inside the body can be far greater than it looks.

Always a medical check

Even a person who seems fine after a shock should be assessed, because heart rhythm problems can follow.

At work

Lock-out procedures prevent most electrical injuries — see site first aid.

This guide summarises first aid for the public and does not replace training or medical advice. In an emergency in the UAE call 998 for an ambulance.

More First Aid guides: Emergency-by-emergency first aid

• First Aid Course in Abu Dhabi — dates, format and booking
• Severe Bleeding First Aid: Pressure, Tourniquets and Packing
• Burns First Aid: Cool, Cover, and When a Burn Needs Hospital
• Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion: First Aid for UAE Summers
• Anaphylaxis First Aid: Recognising a Severe Allergic Reaction
• Asthma Attack First Aid: Helping With a Reliever Inhaler
• Heart Attack First Aid: Warning Signs and What to Do
• Stroke First Aid: The FAST Test and Why Time Matters
• Seizure First Aid: Keep Them Safe, Time It, and When to Call 998
• Low Blood Sugar First Aid: Helping in a Diabetic Emergency
• Fainting First Aid: What to Do Before and After Someone Faints
• Fractures and Sprains First Aid: Support, Cold and When to Call
• Head Injury and Concussion First Aid: Danger Signs to Watch For
• Poisoning First Aid: Swallowed, Inhaled and Skin Exposures
• Bites and Stings First Aid: Scorpions, Snakes, Bees and Jellyfish
• Drowning First Aid: Safe Rescue, Breathing and Pool Safety
• Eye Injury First Aid: Chemicals, Dust and Objects in the Eye
• First Aid Kit Checklist for Home, Car and Workplace
• All First Aid guides, by topic

Other life support and first aid courses: BLS Course · ACLS Course · PALS Course · Training calendar

Frequently asked questions

Should you touch someone who has been electrocuted?

Not until the power is off.

What if it is a high-voltage line?

Stay well back and call 998 and the utility.

Can an electric shock stop the heart?

Yes; start CPR and use an AED if they are not breathing normally.

Do electrical burns need hospital?

Yes, internal damage can be worse than it looks.

Does someone who seems fine after a shock need a check?

Yes.

Sources and further reading

What we teach follows the awarding body and the UAE health authorities. For the definitive position on a course or licensing question, these are the places to check.

• Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED — American Heart Association
• CPR and ECC Guidelines — American Heart Association

Last reviewed 21 September 2026 by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.