thought i'd shed a little light, i work in industrial automation - though i'm not a certified electrician i quite often do similar things, and design / build systems that they hook up.
it doesn't take a lot of current to kill someone under optimum conditions, but it usually takes more than a voltage of 120V. 460V or 575V can easily kill and must be respected at all times.
voltage = current x resistance
your resistance changes depending on existing conditions, if you're soaking wet and holding a ground wire, well...
that's why electricians carry locks on mill sites and in processing plants, they turn off the power and only they can turn it back on. you entrust your life with yourself, and no one else.
as an aside, look at old pictures of electrical engineers like 100 years ago, tesla etc. - they ofen have one hand in a pocket and one hand free, a habit to prevent current from going through their hearts, in one arm and out the other so to speak.
|