On Sunday, June 19, 2011 8:10:09 AM UTC-7, William Sommerwerck wrote:

The Calrod(tm) heating elements are nichrome wires sealed in a metal tube
full of magnesium oxide. The probability of the wire shorting to the metal
tube is extremely small. But if the user lifted the hinged bottom element to
clean under it (which is not "service" in the manual's sense -- you are not
told to shut off the power), s/he would be grabbing a live element, with
possibly fatal results.

In my electric oven, the oven elements ARE calrod-type, and
grabbing one you'd be touching only the grounded metal
sheath. Presumably, the electric element in question is bare
nichrome wire, thus a shock hazard if not disconnected from
both legs of the 220V?