Everyone who uses a golf cart should read this

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

My employer just sent this out about a coworker. Please read.

 

On Sunday  4/30/2017, A resident in Rankin County Mississippi was fatally injured, when he came in contact with the electrified portion of a golf cart/trailer assembly

The  Seven year old male was playing outside, at his residence, with his 5 year old sister. It appears that he had grasped the lower section of a metal trailer, that was attached to the back of a golf cart. He was possibly attempting to retrieve something from the cart, or possibly attempting to unhook the trailer.

It was later determined that the golf cart charger had developed an electrical short and had energized the frame of the golf cart and trailer. The metal jacketed charger was mounted under the seat of the cart, next to the batteries and was in direct contact with the cart frame. The charger was plugged into an outside, 115 volt, receptacle. The receptacle serviced the adjacent sewer pump and had a spot available, to receive an additional plug. The receptacle was not a GFCI receptacle but had a receiver hole for a ground prong. The ground prong was missing from the male plug of the charger. Rain had recently wetted the grassy area where the cart and trailer was located. The deceased was bare footed. There was a lightening storm earlier that morning, that caused lights to dim and flicker in the home. It is unknown when the charger developed the short.

The 5 year old sibling acquired help from the mother and then neighbors. The mother Realized the presence of the electricity as she removed the child. She immediately administered CPR, for approximately 10 minutes, until Emergency response arrived.

Many of us have used or passed by the defects noted and thought, Ill fix that later. This author, can only offer these suggestions .

• Insure that all receptacles used for outside activities or near a water source, are adequately protected with Ground Fault Circuit interruption.

• Refrain from attaching golf cart chargers, directly to the frame of a golf cart or other metal objects.

• Insure plugs are maintained in their original manufactured condition, replace if they have been tampered with.

It is the hope and intent, that sharing this information will help prevent an incident like this, from occurring to someone else

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That's awful.  Scary stuff.  Good to consider....thanks for sharing.  

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

• Insure that all receptacles used for outside activities or near a water source, are adequately protected with Ground Fault Circuit interruption.

• Refrain from attaching golf cart chargers, directly to the frame of a golf cart or other metal objects.

• Insure plugs are maintained in their original manufactured condition, replace if they have been tampered with.

So sad. Talk about a string of bad events all contributing to a tragedy, I can't imagine how the family must feel.

Thanks for sharing the good advice.

 

 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Thanks for sharing the advice with us.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Oh... no words.  That is so, incredibly heartbreaking.  I've never stop to think, that a hot skin condition could happen outside of an RV.  I simply cannot imagine what that family is feeling.  Praying.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Wow, that's just awful. 

Thanks for sharing the info. It's not something I'd ever have considered.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow.  What a tragedy.

Thank you for posting this, Blake.

Some of the golf carts I've rented at the Fort have had some pretty beat up looking chargers.  And, although many are, not all of the electric outlets I've seen at the Fort are GFI outlets.  It would never occur to me that I could be electrocuted by a golf cart.

TCD

[ftwildernessguy 778]

A similar situation can occur with campers called a "hot skin" situation.  A year or two ago a little kid was electrocuted when he touched the side of the trailer while standing on the ground.  Caused by an electrical short.  I have in my camping gear a small tester that you can pick up at Lowes that will tell you if your trailer is "hot" before you touch it.  It will beep when put near any hot circuit and a light will light.  I use it whenever I hook up to shore power.