5-year-old Boy Electrocuted At Hospital

[george]

Electrocution at hospital

BANGKOK: -- A boy aged five was electrocuted on Saturday night while trying to pour himself a drink from a water cooler at a district hospital.

Police said yesterday Thirapat Klabsong went to Yupparat Wiang Sa Hospital with his parents to visit a relative, but then went alone and barefoot to get some water from a cooler.

By the time the boy’s body was found, it was too late for doctors and nurses to help him.

Provincial public health chief Dr Phoomwich Kwanmuang said he had sent a team to check on the hospital. “We have to step up safety measures. The cooler should have a warning sign.”

The boy’s death generated concern as the hospital handles more than 100 people a day.

--The Nation 2005-09-26

[taxexile]

The cooler should have a warning sign.”

saying what exactly !!! "danger of death , dont use."

perhaps the public health chief should come with a warning sign ,

"government official , take no notice."

[chownah]

Quote of the day material for sure!

[Tywais]

Correcting a hazardous situation by posting a sign. TIT at it's finest.

[Scott]

I once ran into a faulty water cooler--didn't get a severe shock, but a jolt from it. Reported it to the management, who unplugged it and said "it will use too much electricity!!"

I had rubber shoes on. Don't know what would happen if someone had stepped on the wet rug in front of it and tried to get a drink. Safety didn't seem to be the biggest concern, however.

[lopburi3]

As this is a newspaper report (and they are not all that great at getting the facts or quotes right) I rather suspect the real story was probably more along the lines of a sign until repaired or some such thing. But agree as it stands does make for the quote of the day category.

Obviously it should not have happened and unit should have had a ground wire attached to prevent this (not to mention GFI/ECCB protection).

But when the main qualification to become an electrician seems to be survival I suppose it is not to be that unexpected.

[thaibebop]

He died at a watercooler in a hospital and no one noticed?

They "found" his body?

I would really hate to be a patient there.

[Abandon]

He died at a watercooler in a hospital and no one noticed?

They "found" his body?

I would really hate to be a patient there.

my thoughts exactly

[lopburi3]

He died at a watercooler in a hospital and no one noticed?

They "found" his body?

I would really hate to be a patient there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do not know this hospital but they are often small buildings linked by walkways and courtyards and it could well be no others around when it happened. It most likely was not in a patient treatment area.

[TAWP]

How many kids must die from electrocution before they bother to care about safety?

Or I guess it's much cheaper in the long run just to let it be and then pay some 30K per kid that dies.

[meemiathai]

How many kids must die from electrocution before they bother to care about safety?

Or I guess it's much cheaper in the long run just to let it be and then pay some 30K per kid that dies.

May I ask who "they" stand for?

[TAWP]

How about the politicians to start with? Legislating about minimum requirements to call oneself electrician would be nice. Or having educated electricians that acctually perform their job, instead of leaving onces ground-wire (third wire, for those that want to check their outlet) hanging in the wall instead of having it securly grounded...

Or severly raising the penalty for having faulty machines working in areas where kid can access them. One young boy was electrocuted a couple of weeks ago when leening against a booth at Fashion Island, as you might remeber...(and that was the fourth kid to die in not to long time in that shopping mall).

I know I'm westener and therefor silly by nature, but one life was very little value over here.

[meemiathai]

No you are not silly. And I apreciate the fact that u care about human lives.

But was just wondering what "they" u were refering to. And who is "they" that has the ability to have anything changed. I guess it takes the effort of the whole nation if they want anything to be changed.

[Khun Jean]

Start with this:

1st Accountability

2nd Enforcement

Without these two everything else fails.

First sue the hospital for 10 million baht, then the electrician for another 10 million, and if they don't pay, bangkok hilton it is. But i know TIT.

As a parent myself i learned very quick never ever to let children out of your sight, not for a second. If something happens at least you can act quick.

But in this case, who can expect a child to die from getting some water. It would have caught me off guard too.

[Scott]

A good place to start with things like this is by having water coolers in schools, hospitals and office be grounded. This can be done by regulations through the appropriate ministry--Education and health.

As for suing the electrician--get a grip. You go buy one of these things and you plug it in. Maybe go after the company that makes them without a grounding plug in the first place.

[britmaveric]

Anything plugged in is dangerous in Thailand - more electrocution deaths per year than anywhere I know. Doesnt surprise me - they dont seem to adhere to any standard or code.

[thaibebop]

Anything plugged in is dangerous in Thailand - more electrocution deaths per year than anywhere I know. Doesnt surprise me - they dont seem to adhere to any standard or code.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOS......code......

[meemiathai]

I don't suppose people would walk into a jungle and start complaining about the lack of taxi services in it?

[Scott]

Interesting comparison between Bangkok and a jungle. I have some friends who are engineers (electrical) and I once asked them about the problem of electrocution. They said that it has historically been done to save on wire.

This has to do with the idea of safety and in a country that has reached this level of development, where nearly everyone has electricity, provisions need to be implemented for the safety of everyone--especially children. Places like schools and hospitals need to take the extra step at protecting people.

[Sphere]

I don't suppose people would walk into a jungle and start complaining about the lack of taxi services in it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly what is the point you are trying to make with this comparison?

[TAWP]

Today we had an electric malefunction...two cables burnt through their protective plastic and shorted, effectivly shutting down a whole house (out of 3 on the property).

The electrician came buy now tonight. Nothing wrong with his work, even though he said something about it burning because something was out of date, then cut the burnt cable-sections and twisted them (side-by-side, not 'meating ends', but that is just preference I guess) and covered with electric tape. Nothing bad on him...but I cannot help to wonder if now the cables was out of date (or whatever he meant) then it's just a waiting-period until it burns again...

[IMA_FARANG]

A good place to start with things like this is by having water coolers in schools, hospitals and office be grounded.  This can be done by regulations through the appropriate ministry--Education and health.

As for suing the electrician--get a grip.  You go buy one of these things and you plug it in.  Maybe go after the company that makes them without a grounding plug in the first place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Maybe go after the company that makes them without a grounding plug in the first place. "

Since it's Thailand, why do you presume that there IS a three wire system with "ground" lead in the wiring. I'm willing to bet if you disconnected the plug you would only find a two-wire no-ground connection. Grounding plug wouldn't do anything in that case.

TIT

[lopburi3]

Today we had an electric malefunction...two cables burnt through their protective plastic and shorted, effectivly shutting down a whole house (out of 3 on the property).

The electrician came buy now tonight. Nothing wrong with his work, even though he said something about it burning because something was out of date, then cut the burnt cable-sections and twisted them (side-by-side, not 'meating ends', but that is just preference I guess) and covered with electric tape. Nothing bad on him...but I cannot help to wonder if now the cables was out of date (or whatever he meant) then it's just a waiting-period until it burns again...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the wire gets that hot the breaker on that run should be smaller; now. Whatever caused the excess draw should also be checked. It nothing wrong with the appliance the wire needs to be changed to a larger size. You are living on borrowed time.

[Greer]

I think the first thing to say is that I am horrified that this has happened again - it scares the daylights out of me that my children are going shopping or to the movies in public places that are quite simply deadly.

My heart goes out to the parents of the child - what was meant to be a simple visit to a sick relative turns into a family tragedy for no reason whatsoever except the total lack of care on behalf of the hospital concerned - a HOSPITAL - no excuse will ever do.

It is way past time that the government enforced safety regulations in public spaces, and those places where the public might reasonably be expected to go such as hospitals and government offices etc.

I have moved house a couple of times in the last couple of years and each time I have had to get the electricians in to rewire things and upgrade the switchboard, including making sure the RCD (or ELCB) is wired up properly to protect ALL circuits. It is very worrying that in one place, they actually wired two of the air con units via breakers (at least they were double pole) on the SUPPLY side of the RCD...until I told them to fix it. They actually told me that it was OK like that until the representative from the supply authority agreed with me and made them change it, otherwise he would not reconnect the "pole-top fuse" to power up the house.

I wish there were more like that official in Thailand - he was doing the job the way it is meant to be done - by applying standards - good on him!

[speleo]

The electrician came buy now tonight. Nothing wrong with his work, even though he said something about it burning because something was out of date, then cut the burnt cable-sections and twisted them (side-by-side, not 'meating ends', but that is just preference I guess) and covered with electric tape. Nothing bad on him...but I cannot help to wonder if now the cables was out of date (or whatever he meant) then it's just a waiting-period until it burns again...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't have paid someone to just twist the ends together and cover the join with tape - I can do that myself as safely as any qualified or Thai electrician

Follow lopburi3's advice and then I suggest you get another, trustworthy, electrician in before your house catches fire. However, don't ask me where to find such a person.

[meemiathai]

I don't suppose people would walk into a jungle and start complaining about the lack of taxi services in it?

Exactly what is the point you are trying to make with this comparison?

My point is will this incident still be an issue if it had occured in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Or in places even less developped? Or say 100 yrs ago in the US? Different places have different capabilities towards keeping safety standards. In the US, you probably have a sign in front of your house saying "this door is hard, don't bump into it, you might hurt yourself", or the government have to put a sign in front of a cliff saying "don't jump, you might kill yourself!", but in Thailand it's different. One is responsible for oneself's safety. And when this happen, it's called accident.

[TAWP]

And when this happen, it's called accident.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not having the third wire properly ground isn't an accident.

Open eletric wiring (with the copper plain in view) is not an accident.

Call it for what it is.

[Kringle]

I don't suppose people would walk into a jungle and start complaining about the lack of taxi services in it?

Exactly what is the point you are trying to make with this comparison?

My point is will this incident still be an issue if it had occured in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Or in places even less developped? Or say 100 yrs ago in the US? Different places have different capabilities towards keeping safety standards. In the US, you probably have a sign in front of your house saying "this door is hard, don't bump into it, you might hurt yourself", or the government have to put a sign in front of a cliff saying "don't jump, you might kill yourself!", but in Thailand it's different. One is responsible for oneself's safety. And when this happen, it's called accident.

Are you just an idiot or do you just want people to think you are. By your last statement, you are removing all doubt that you don't know sh1t about electricity. It's really a simple process of making things grounded and this being a hospital (a place of business) then most people in this time and age would think that this and any other business would have CORRECT wiring in their place. It's just cheap bastards not doing what is supposed to be done.

From a lot of your posts, you seem to always be backing the business side of things. I would think that in most countries in the world you can get water without DIEING. This was a 5 year old and what the frick would the kid know. You state and I quote:

"One is responsible for oneself's safety. And when this happen, it's called accident."

Yes, people are responsible for their own safety but to a degree of what they understand as being safe. Don't need a sign to tell most people to not jump off a cliff but damm sure don't need to have to have a sign on a water cooler saying: "Don't drink out of this water fountain if you are barefoot or 5 years old".

Get back to us when you have something intelligent to say. You need to GAG in the worst way.

This is truely a tragedy that should not have happened and I blame the hospital,

[meemiathai]

Sorry if saying something not intelligent would make you so angry.

[Ajarn_Jonesy]

No you are not silly. And I apreciate the fact that u care about human lives.

But was just wondering what "they" u were refering to.  And who is "they" that has the ability to have anything changed.  I guess it takes the effort of the whole nation if they want anything to be changed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about having who ACTUALLY TAKE CARE of their Children?