Quick way to a spiked hairdo, with possible side effect of death.
Was detaching a shelf from a desk unit. One of those ones with a recess for your computer monitor with shelves above.

Dropped my screwdriver, which went straight through the ventilation slots on top of my old CRT monitor. Went to pick it up, earthed the whole damned lot, and got 25kV up the arm from the coil. It's not a high current device, but it was enough to send me back across the room about 10 feet and leave me with minor burns on my hand and feet (as well as the carpet).

I don't think I was knocked unconscious, but I did have a nervous twitch in my right arm for about a week as well as a blistered hand, melted screwdriver handle and a need for a new monitor as apparently CRT's do not like explosive discharge.

Now for any DIY, I always use an insulated screwdriver, latex gloves, toe-tectors, hard hat and I remove electrical devices for them room. Oh, and I can pick up Radio 2 if I tilt my head to the South.
(badbob82 actually has mates called Rex and Wendy, Sun 15 Feb 2009, 19:05, 1 reply)

Melted screwdriver handle
from a low-current device?

Doesn't sound that low-current, are you sure it wasn't the mains? Primary coil on the transformer rather than secondary, that sort of thing? That could certainly cause a 10ft fling- there's the power of the blast plus the power of your muscles contracting.
( uberdeity Wondered why Owen Lars knew of the term "hell" on, Mon 16 Feb 2009, 10:11, closed)