EC&M’s e-books Showcase Popular Evergreen Content by Theme

Aug. 17, 2018
EC&M e-books

Although the headlines of water-related electrocutions and electric shock incidents in the news change slightly, the underlying message always seems to be the same: When water and electricity mix, the consequences can be deadly. One recent example cited on the Electrick Shock Drowning Prevention Association’s website demonstrates the potential for disaster. As reported in early July on LakeExpo.com, a woman and children luckily escaped electrocution at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri after firefighters confirmed AC voltage in the water ranging from 3.5V to 15V. In the piece, Reporter Janet Dabbs revealed that after the initial investigation, “the cause was first thought to be electricity from a breaker panel at the residence feeding to the dock sub-panel, through the ground wire, and then to the dock. However, after working with an electrician, it was later discovered that the underlying problem was actually a water heater that was causing voltage to go to the ground wire.” Thankfully, no one was injured, but history has shown us how similar stories have ended much differently — in tragedy (whether it’s a young adult electrocuted on a leisurely float trip down a river, a family electrocuted at a water park, or teenagers swimming off of a lake dock and ultimately receiving electric shocks that lead to drowning).       

On issues like this that are obviously so prevalent in the electrical industry, EC&M continues to emphasize the value of education and training. In an effort to promote safety and increase awareness, we have ramped up our efforts when it comes to e-book production this year, giving readers more themed packaged content in the form of free “electronic books” or downloadable PDFs. With an average of more than 1.3 million page views per month on our website (more than 40% of which are accessed via mobile devices), a large portion of EC&M’s online traffic continues to be generated from “evergreen” content — or content that is always fresh or relevant no matter when it was originally published. These new e-books showcase some of our most highly read articles and feature a “best practices” or “lessons learned” approach. Electric shock drowning (ESD) accidents and water-related shocks and electrocutions are two such topics. 

Released in March 2018, take a look at “Electric Shock Drowning: The Truth Behind the Tragedies”. This extremely popular e-book discusses the technical issues behind the electrocutions, legislative reform, ground fault protection requirements, and the implementation of new inspection requirements for electrical work performed on docks and at marinas. Coming out in late August, the next e-book in this series is titled “A Lethal Combination,” a grouping of articles that highlights real-world examples of why electricity and water don’t mix. It takes readers through NEC revisions that affect maintenance/testing of bonding and grounding systems near or in bodies of water, presents the electrical theory behind the requirements, and allows electrical professionals to make more informed decisions about whether they are doing enough to protect the public from harm. Check out our e-book library archives page at https://www.ecmweb.com/e-books-library. You’ll not only find the two e-books discussed above, but also themed content on emergency power preparedness and arc flash protection/accidents. If you have other content you’d like to see packaged in an upcoming e-book, please let me know. We are open to any and all ideas to improve your reader experience.

About the Author

Ellen Parson | Editor-in-Chief - EC&M

Ellen Parson is the Editor-in-Chief for EC&M. She has a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She's been a business-to-business writer and editor for more than 25 years, most of which have been covering the construction and electrical industries. Contact her at [email protected].

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