Determining voltage levels of concern for human and animal response to AC current

Whenever a voltage potential is present between two points - in close enough proximity - for a human or an animal to bridge the gap between them, there is the possibility for current to flow through the body. For the purposes of this paper, the contact scenarios of interest are limited to publicly or privately accessible locations such as swimming pools, hot tubs, pipe lines, street lights, electric service boxes and other areas where electric shock complaints are reported. This paper supplies a review of the literature on human and animal response to ac current along with a review of the standards and documents that presently have published values for voltage, current, or resistance. These documents prove useful in understanding the establishment of published limits and levels of concern. A methodology is described whereby new levels of interest for contact scenarios may be developed using a systematic process that follows the basic methodology applied in establishment of prior limits.