Let's say a typical (50cm radius) Van Der Graaf generator (around 60pF capacitance) is charged to around 200kV (I am following the example seen in this video).

According to the formula for an RC circuit, and assuming the human body can be approximated by a resistance of about 1000 ohms (with wet hands and at such high voltages), a spike of maximum current I = V/R = 200 amps will occur at t=0 (formula for this on this page), however this will clearly not last long at all (until about 1 microsecond where the value is essentially zero after graphing the above equation).

My first question is: are my calculations correct? Is there indeed an incredibly short but very high 200 amp spike at the beginning of the discharge?

My second question is: how is this safe? I have read things about all the energy being dissipated almost immediately as heat (maybe you will feel a shock on your finger tips only...?) but I am not sure I fully understand this. Obviously, a sustained current of 200 amps through your body is not safe at all, so what is going on here?

Note that, although my estimation of 1000ohms might be too low (although according to my research it isn't due to the breakdown of the skin) even higher resistances which still cause currents substantially above what our body can handle.

Let's say a typical (50cm radius) Van de Graaff generator (around 60pF capacitance) is charged to around 200kV (I am following the example seen in this video).

According to the formula for an RC circuit, and assuming the human body can be approximated by a resistance of about 1000 ohms (with wet hands and at such high voltages), a spike of maximum current I = V/R = 200 amps will occur at t=0 (formula for this on this page), however this will clearly not last long at all (until about 1 microsecond where the value is essentially zero after graphing the above equation).

My first question is: are my calculations correct? Is there indeed an incredibly short but very high 200 amp spike at the beginning of the discharge?

My second question is: how is this safe? I have read things about all the energy being dissipated almost immediately as heat (maybe you will feel a shock on your finger tips only...?) but I am not sure I fully understand this. Obviously, a sustained current of 200 amps through your body is not safe at all, so what is going on here?

Note that, although my estimation of 1000ohms might be too low (although according to my research it isn't due to the breakdown of the skin) even higher resistances which still cause currents substantially above what our body can handle.