We all use electricity, but not all of us really understand it. As useful as it is, it is equally dangerous, as it can kill or injure. This danger, coupled with common myths about it, is very troubling. So let’s go ahead with some shockers!

Myth: ‘Household rubber gloves and shoes are good in­sulators’ – False. Gloves and shoes are only good insulators if they are made of 100 per cent rubber, and  none are. Most manu­facturers insert other materials for comfort and durability.

Myth: ‘All power lines are insulated’ – False. Most outdoor power lines are not insulated. While they have weather pro­tection to survive the elements, they provide no insulation from electric shock.

Power lines are not insulated. While they have pro­tection to survive the elements, they provide no insulation from electric shock

Myth: ‘Car tyres are good insulators’ – False. TV may show people surviving violent elec­trical shocks when sitting in their car. The implication is that tyres insu­late them from the environment.

In truth, tyres are actually conductors, not insulators. While it is true that cars pro­vide protection from an ex­posed electrical wire hitting the car, this happens because elec­tricity will take the least resis­tant path to earth. This path is usually the car body, down to the chassis, and across the tyres into the ground. You will still get shocked if there is a less resistant path to earth through your body.