Prevention of electrical shock hazards in physical therapy

Basic electrical safety information for the physical therapist is presented, and the most hazardous areas in a physical therapy clinic are identified. Physical therapy modalities are no safer than the power receptacle (wall outlet) into which they are plugged. High frequency physical therapy equipment should never be operated without a three-prong polarized plug and a matching polarized wall receptacle. Three-to-two prong adapters must never be used. Hydrotherapy is an especially dangerous area and should be equipped with ground fault detector receptacles with ground fault interrupters that cut the current when the electrical ground is lost. Ultrasound leakage current measurements on many older ultrasound units may now exceed today's acceptable standards. An external isolation transformer may be required to modify older ultrasonic units before they meet present standards. Physical therapists must never assume that rountine electrical safety inspections are being conducted by hospital maintenance personnel. The physical therapist is responsible for ensuring that all hazardous areas are rountinely checked for electrical safety.