IEC 60479-1:2018
(Main)Effects of current on human beings and livestock - Part 1: General aspects
Effects of current on human beings and livestock - Part 1: General aspects
IEC 60479-1:2018(E) provides basic guidance on the effects of shock current on human beings and livestock.
This basic safety publication is primarily intended for use by technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid down in IEC Guide 104 and lSO/lEC Guide 51. It is not intended for use by manufacturers or certification bodies.
General Information
Standards Content (sample)
IEC 60479-1
Edition 1.0 2018-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
BASIC SAFETY PUBLICATION
Effects of current on human beings and livestock –
Part 1: General aspects
IEC 60479-1:2018-12(en)
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
THIS PUBLICATION IS COPYRIGHT PROTECTED
Copyright © 2018 IEC, Geneva, Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé info@iec.ch
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.IEC Catalogue - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The stand-alone application for consulting the entire The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
bibliographical information on IEC International Standards, electrical terms containing 21 000 terms and definitions in
Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and other English and French, with equivalent terms in 16 additional
documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
iPad. Vocabulary (IEV) online.IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a 67 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in English and
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical French extracted from the Terms and Definitions clause of
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries have been
and withdrawn publications. collected from earlier publications of IEC TC 37, 77, 86 and
CISPR.IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
details all new publications released. Available online and If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or
also once a month by email. need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: sales@iec.ch.---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
IEC 60479-1
Edition 1.0 2018-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
BASIC SAFETY PUBLICATION
Effects of current on human beings and livestock –
Part 1: General aspects
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 13.200; 29.020 ISBN 978-2-8322-6295-5
Warning! Make sure that you obtained this publication from an authorized distributor.
® Registered trademark of the International Electrotechnical Commission---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
– 2 – IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018
CONTENTS
FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................... 6
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 8
1 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 9
2 Normative references .................................................................................................... 10
3 Terms and definitions .................................................................................................... 10
3.1 General definitions ................................................................................................ 10
3.2 Effects of sinusoidal alternating current in the range 15 Hz to 100 Hz ................... 11
3.3 Effects of direct current ......................................................................................... 12
4 Electrical impedance of the human body and livestock .................................................. 13
4.1 General ................................................................................................................. 13
4.2 Internal impedance of the human body (Z ) ........................................................... 13
4.3 Impedance of the skin (Z ) .................................................................................... 13
4.4 Total impedance of the human body (Z ) .............................................................. 13
4.5 Factors affecting initial resistance of the human body (R ) .................................... 14
4.6 Values of the total impedance of the human body (Z ) .......................................... 14
4.6.1 Total body impedance dependence for large, medium and small surfaceareas of contact ............................................................................................. 14
4.6.2 Sinusoidal alternating current 50/60 Hz for large surface areas of contact ..... 14
4.6.3 Sinusoidal alternating current 50/60 Hz for medium and small surfaceareas of contact ............................................................................................. 17
4.6.4 Sinusoidal alternating current with frequencies up to 20 kHz and above ........ 20
4.6.5 Direct current ................................................................................................. 21
4.7 Value of the initial resistance of the human body (R ) ........................................... 22
4.8 Characteristics of the impedance of the body of livestock ..................................... 22
5 Effects of sinusoidal alternating current in the range of 15 Hz to 150 Hz ........................ 22
5.1 General ................................................................................................................. 22
5.2 Threshold of perception ........................................................................................ 22
5.3 Threshold of reaction ............................................................................................ 22
5.4 Immobilization ....................................................................................................... 22
5.5 Threshold of let-go ................................................................................................ 23
5.6 Threshold of ventricular fibrillation ........................................................................ 23
5.7 Other effects related to electric shocks ................................................................. 23
5.8 Effects of current on the skin ................................................................................ 24
5.9 Description of time/current zones (see Figure 20) ................................................. 24
5.10 Application of heart-current factor (F).................................................................... 25
6 Effects of direct current ................................................................................................. 26
6.1 General ................................................................................................................. 26
6.2 Threshold of perception and threshold of reaction ................................................. 26
6.3 Threshold of immobilization and threshold of let-go ............................................... 26
6.4 Threshold of ventricular fibrillation ........................................................................ 26
6.5 Other effects of current ......................................................................................... 27
6.6 Description of time/current zones (see Figure 22) ................................................. 27
6.7 Heart factor ........................................................................................................... 28
6.8 Effects of anodic versus cathodic DC currents ...................................................... 45
Annex A (normative) Measurements of the total body impedances Z made on livinghuman beings and on corpses and statistical analysis of the results .............................. 48
Annex B (normative) Influence of frequency on the total body impedance (Z ) ..................... 51
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018 – 3 –
Annex C (normative) Total body resistance (R ) for direct current ........................................ 52
Annex D (informative) Examples of calculations of ZT .......................................................... 53
Annex E (informative) Theories of ventricular fibrillation ....................................................... 56
Annex F (informative) Quantities of upper limit of vulnerability (ULV)and lower limit of
vulnerability (LLV) ......................................................................................................... 57
Annex G (informative) Circuit simulation methods in electric shock evaluation ..................... 58
Annex H (normative) Effects of currents passing through the body of livestock .................... 61
H.1 General ................................................................................................................. 61
H.2 Principal consideration of the risk of ventricular fibrillation for livestock ................ 61
H.3 Characteristics of the impedance of the body of livestock ..................................... 62
H.4 Internal impedance of animals (Z ) ........................................................................ 62
H.5 Impedance of the hide and skin (Z ) ..................................................................... 63
H.6 Impedance (resistance) of the hoof (Z , R ) .......................................................... 63
h hH.7 Total body impedance (Z ) ................................................................................... 63
H.8 Initial body resistance (R ) .................................................................................... 64
H.9 Values of the total body impedance (Z ) ............................................................... 64
H.10 Values of the initial resistance of the body (R ) ..................................................... 65
H.11 Effects on livestock of sinusoidal alternating current in the range from 15 Hz
to 100 Hz .............................................................................................................. 65
H.11.1 General ......................................................................................................... 65
H.11.2 Threshold of reaction ..................................................................................... 66
H.11.3 Threshold of ventricular fibrillation ................................................................. 66
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 69
Figure 1 – Impedances of the human body ............................................................................ 28
Figure 2 – Internal partial impedances Z of the human body ............................................... 29
Figure 3 – Simplified schematic diagram for the internal impedances of the humanbody ..................................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 4 – Total body impedance Z (50 %) for a current path hand to hand, for large
surface areas of contact in dry, water-wet and saltwater-wet conditions for a percentile
rank of 50 % of the population for touch voltages U = 25 V to 700 V, AC 50/60 Hz ............. 31
Figure 5 – Dependence of the total impedance Z of one living person on the surface
area of contact in dry conditions and at touch voltage (50 Hz) .............................................. 32
Figure 6 – Dependence of the total body impedance Z on the touch voltage U for a current
T Tpath from the tips of the right to the left forefinger compared with large surfaceareas of
contact from the right to the left hand in dry conditions measured on one living person, touch
voltage range U = 25 V to 200 V, AC 50 Hz, duration of current flow max. 25 ms ............... 33
Figure 7 – Dependence of the total body impedance Z for the 50 percentile rank of
a population of living human beings for large, medium and small surface areas of2 2 2
contact (order of magnitude 10 000 mm , 1 000 mm and 100 mm respectively) in
dry conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V AC 50/60 Hz ......................................... 34
Figure 8 – Dependence of the total body impedance Z for the 50 percentile rank of
a population of living human beings for large, medium and small surface areas of2 2 2
contact (order of magnitude 10 000 mm , 1 000 mm and 100 mm respectively) in
water-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V, AC 50/60 Hz ............................. 35
Figure 9 – Dependence of the total body impedance Z for the 50 percentile rank of
a population of living human beings for large, medium and small surface areas of2 2 2
contact (order of magnitude 10 000 mm , 1 000 mm and 100 mm respectively) in
saltwater-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V, AC 50/60 Hz ........................ 36
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------– 4 – IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018
Figure 10 – Values for the total body impedance Z measured on 10 living human
beings with a current path hand to hand and large surface areas of contact in dry
conditions at a touch voltage of 10 V and frequencies from 25 Hz to 20 kHz ........................ 37
Figure 11 – Values for the total body impedance Z measured on one living humanbeing with a current path hand to hand and large surface areas of contact in dry
conditions at a touch voltage of 25 V and frequencies from 25 Hz to 2 kHz ........................... 37
Figure 12 – Frequency dependence of the total body impedance Z of a population for
a percentile rank of 50 % for touch voltages from 10 V to 1 000 V and a frequency
range from 50 Hz to 150 kHz for a current path hand to hand or hand to foot, large
surface areas of contact in dry conditions ............................................................................. 38
Figure 13 – Statistical value of total body impedances Z and body resistances R for
T Ta percentile rank of 50 % of a population of living human beings for the current path
hand to hand, large surface areas of contact, dry conditions, for touch voltages up to
700 V, for AC 50/60 Hz and DC ............................................................................................ 38
Figure 14 – Dependence of the alteration of human skin condition on current density
i and duration of current flow .............................................................................................. 39
Figure 15 – Electrodes used for the measurement of the dependence of theimpedance of the human body Z on the surface area of contact .......................................... 40
Figure 16 – Oscillograms of touch voltages U and touch currents I for AC, current
T Tpath hand to hand, large surface areas of contact in dry conditions taken from
measurements ...................................................................................................................... 41
Figure 17 – Occurrence of the vulnerable period of ventricles during the cardiac cycle ......... 42
Figure 18 – Triggering of ventricular fibrillation in the vulnerable period – Effects on
electro-cardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure ...................................................................... 42
Figure 19 – Fibrillation data for dogs, pigs and sheep from experiments and forpersons calculated from statistics of electrical accidents with transversal direction of
current flow hand to hand and touch voltages U = 220 V and 380 V AC with bodyimpedances Z (5 %) ............................................................................................................ 43
Figure 20 – Conventional time/current zones of effects of AC currents (15 Hz to100 Hz) on persons for a current path corresponding to left hand to feet (see Table 11) ....... 44
Figure 21 – Oscillogram of touch voltages U and touch current I for DC, current path
T Thand to hand, large surface areas of contact in dry conditions .............................................. 44
Figure 22 – Conventional time/current zones of effects of DC currents on persons for
a longitudinal upward current path (see Table 13) ................................................................. 45
Figure 23 – Let-go currents for 60 Hz sinusoidal current ....................................................... 45
Figure 24 – Effects of anodic versus cathodic DC currents .................................................... 46
Figure 25 – Pulsed DC stimulation of single heart cells ......................................................... 47
Figure G.1 – Electric shock in electrical model by Hart [33] including startle reaction
effect .................................................................................................................................... 59
Figure H.1 – Current flow and impedances of the relevant parts of the body of a cow
for current path from the nose to the legs.............................................................................. 62
Figure H.2 – Diagrams for an animal, for a current path from the nose to the four legs
(path A) and from the forelegs to the hindlegs (path B) ......................................................... 62
Figure H.3 – Diagram for the total body impedance for cattle for a percentage of 5 %
of the population ................................................................................................................... 65
Figure H.4 – Ventricular fibrillation for sheep ........................................................................ 66
Figure H.5 – Minimum fibrillating currents of sheep as a function of weight for a shock
duration of 3 s [55] ................................................................................................................ 67
Figure H.6 – Minimum fibrillating currents (averages) of various species of livestock as
a function of weight for a shock duration of 3 s [53] .............................................................. 68
Table 1 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand AC 50/60 Hz, for
large surface areas of contact in dry conditions ............................................................. 15
---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018 – 5 –
Table 2 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand AC 50/60 Hz, for
large surface areas of contact in water-wet conditions .......................................................... 16
Table 3 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand AC 50/60 Hz, for
large surface areas of contact in saltwater-wet conditions ..................................................... 17
Table 4 –Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for mediumsurface areas of contact in dry conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V AC
50/60 Hz (values rounded to 25 Ω) ...................................................................................... 18
Table 5 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for mediumsurface areas of contact in water-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V
AC 50/60 Hz (values rounded to 25 Ω) .................................................................................. 19
Table 6 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for mediumsurface areas of contact in saltwater-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to
200 V AC 50/60 Hz (values rounded to 5 Ω) .......................................................................... 19
Table 7 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for small surface
areas of contact in dry conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V AC 50/60 Hz
(values rounded to 25 Ω) ...................................................................................................... 19
Table 8 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for small surface
areas of contact in water-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V AC50/60 Hz (values rounded to 25 Ω) ....................................................................................... 20
Table 9 – Total body impedances Z for a current path hand to hand for small surface
areas of contact in saltwater-wet conditions at touch voltages U = 25 V to 200 V AC
50/60 Hz (values rounded to 5 Ω) ......................................................................................... 20
Table 10 – Total body resistances R for a current path hand to hand, direct current,
for large surface areas of contact in dry conditions ............................................................... 21
Table 11 – Time/current zones for AC 15 Hz to 100 Hz for hand to feet pathway –Summary of zones of Figure 20 ............................................................................................ 25
Table 12 – Heart-current factor F for different current paths .................................................. 26
Table 13 – Time/current zones for direct current for hand to feet pathway – Summary
of zones of Figure 22 ............................................................................................................ 28
Table A.1 – Total body impedances Z , electrodes type A for dry conditions anddeviation factors F (5 % and 95 %) ..................................................................................... 48
Table A.2 – Total body impedances Z , electrodes type B for dry, water-wet andsaltwater-wet conditions and deviation factors F (5 % and 95 %) ........................................ 48
Table A.3 – Total body impedances Z for dry, water-wet and saltwater-wet conditions
and deviation factors F (5 % and 95 %) .............................................................................. 48
Table A.4 – Deviation factors F (5 %) and F (95 %) for dry and water-wet conditions
D Din the touch voltage range U = 25 V up to 400 V for large, medium and small surface
areas of contact .................................................................................................................... 50
Table D.1 – 50 percentile values for the total body impedance for a current pathhands-feet, medium surface area of contact for hands, large for feet, reduction factor
0,8, dry conditions, touch currents I and electrophysiological effects .................................. 54
Table G.1 – Body impedance examples (uncompensated) ..................................................... 59
Table H.1 – Impedance (resistance) of the hooves of cattle (Z , R ) for AC voltages up
h hto 230 V, 50/60 Hz ................................................................................................................ 63
Table H.2 – Total body impedances Z for AC 50/60 Hz for cattle for touch voltages up
to 230 V ................................................................................................................................ 64
Table H.3 – Initial body resistance R for cattle .................................................................... 65
Table H.4 – Threshold of ventricular fibrillation for AC 50/60 Hz [53] [54] for different
species of livestock, for a shock duration of 3 s .................................................................... 67
---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------– 6 – IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
EFFECTS OF CURRENT ON HUMAN BEINGS
AND LIVESTOCK –
Part 1: General aspects
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60479-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 64:
Electrical installations and protection against electric shock.This first edition cancels and replaces IEC TS 60479-1:2005, Amendment 1:2016 and
IEC TR 60479-3:1998. This edition constitutes a technical revision.This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to
IEC TS 60479-1 and IEC TR 60479-3:• The contents of IEC TR 60479-3 relating to aspects unique to the effects of current
passing through the bodies of livestock have been incorporated into a new Annex H
(normative).It has the status of a basic safety publication in accordance with IEC Guide 104.
---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------IEC 60479-1:2018 IEC 2018 – 7 –
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
64/2275/CDV 64/2343/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 60479 series, published under the general title Effects of current
on human beings and livestock, can be found on the IEC website.The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to
the specific document. At this date, the document will be• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this public
...
Questions, Comments and Discussion
Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.