If you happen to touch the metallic part at that moment you will be zapped. But if the metallic part of the appliance is earthed, the charge will be transferred to earth instead of accumulating on the metallic part of the appliance. Current don’t flow through earth wires in electrical appliances, it does so only when there is problem and only to direct the unwanted current to earth in order to protect us from severe shock.

To increase the safety factor of installation, two copper wires are used as earthing lead to connect the device metallic body to the earth electrode or earth plate. I.e. if we use two earth electrodes or earth plats, there would be four earthing leads. It should not be considered that the two earth leads are used as parallel paths to flow the fault currents but both paths should work properly to carry the fault current because it is important for better safety.

In our electrical appliances, if excessive currents are not earthed, we would experience severe shock. Earthing takes place in electrical appliances only when there is a problem and it is to save us from danger. If in an electronic installation, a metallic part of an electrical appliance comes in direct contact with a live wire that results from maybe failure of installation or otherwise, the metal will be charged and static charge will accumulate on it.

That part of the earthing system which interconnects the overall metallic parts of electrical installation e.g. conduit, ducts, boxes, metallic shells of the switches, distribution boards, Switches, fuses, Regulating and controlling devices, metallic parts of electrical machines such as, motors, generators, transformers and the metallic framework where electrical devices and components are installed is known as earth wire or earth continuity conductor as shown in the above fig.

I have seen a person killed simply because a live wire got cut from overhead pole and fell to the ground while the ground was wet. Excessive current is earthed at generating stations and if at all the earthing is not efficient due to fault, earth fault interrupters will be there to help. Fuse help only when the power transmitted is above the rating of our appliances, it blocks the current from reaching our appliances by blowing off and protecting our appliances in the process.