What’s At Stake

The degree of a burn is determined by its location on the body and the number of skin layers affected. The first response in a burn situation is to stop the heat source or break contact between the heat source and the skin. The body holds in the heat and continues to burn until the skin cools.

What’s the Danger

ALL BURNS

Before an accident happens, know the location of the first aid kit, the nearest telephone, and medical facility. Burns can be painful and cause irreparable damage in seconds.

1. Stop Burning Immediately

• Put out fire or stop the person’s contact with hot liquid, steam, or other material.
• Help the person “stop, drop, and roll” to smother flames.
• Remove smoldering material from the person.
• Remove hot or burned clothing. If clothing sticks to skin, cut or tear around it.

2. Remove Constrictive Clothing Immediately

• Take off jewelry, belts, and tight clothing. Burns can swell quickly.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

FIRST-DEGREE BURNS (AFFECTING TOP LAYER OF SKIN)

1. Cool Burn

• Immerse in cool water for 10 or 15 minutes.
• Use compresses if running water isn’t available.
• Don’t apply ice. It can lower body temperature and cause further pain and damage.
• Don’t break blisters or apply butter or ointments, which can cause infection.

2. Protect Burn

• Cover with sterile, non-adhesive bandage or clean cloth.
• Do not apply butter, oil, lotions, or creams (especially if they contain fragrance). Apply a petroleum-based ointment two to three times per day.

3. Prevent Shock. Unless the person has a head, neck, or leg injury, or it would cause discomfort:

• Lay the person flat.
• Elevate feet about 12 inches.
• Elevate burn area above heart level, if possible.
• Cover the person with coat or blanket.

4. Treat Pain

• Give over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Panadol, Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).

5. When to See a Doctor

• You see signs of infection, like increased pain, redness, swelling, fever, or oozing.
• The person needs tetanus or booster shot, depending on date of last injection. Tetanus booster should be given every 10 years.
• The burn blister is larger than two inches or oozes.
• Redness and pain last more than a few hours.
• The pain gets worse.
• The hands, feet, face, or genitals are burned.

6. Follow Up. The doctor will examine the burn and may prescribe antibiotics and pain medication.

MINOR BURNS – RECOGNITION FACTORS

• less than 3 inches in diameter
• surface redness (like a sunburn)
• skin blistering
• pain

FIRST AID FOR A MINOR BURN

1. Cool down the burn. After holding the burn under cool, running water, apply cool, wet compresses until the pain subsides.
2. Remove tight items, such as rings, from the burned area. Be gentle, but move quickly before swelling starts.
3. Avoid breaking blisters. Blisters with fluid protect the area from infection. If a blister breaks, clean the area and gently apply an antibiotic ointment.
4. Apply a moisturizing lotion, such as one with aloe vera. After the burned area has been cooled, apply a lotion to provide relief and to keep the area from drying out.
5. Loosely bandage the burn. Use sterile gauze. Avoid fluffy cotton that could shed and get stuck to the healing area. Also avoid putting too much pressure on the burned skin.
6. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if necessary.

FIRST AID FOR A MAJOR BURN. STEPS TO TAKE UNTIL EMERGENCY ARRIVES

1. Make sure you and the person who’s burned are safe and out of harm’s way. Move them away from the source of the burn. If it’s an electrical burn, turn off the power source before touching them.
2. Check to see if they’re breathing. If needed, start rescue breathing if you’ve been trained.
3. Remove restrictive items from their body, such as belts and jewelry in or near the burned areas. Burned areas typically swell quickly.
4. Cover the burned area. Use a clean cloth or bandage that’s moistened with cool, clean water.
5. Separate fingers and toes. If hands and feet are burned, separate the fingers and toes with dry and sterile, nonadhesive bandages.
6. Remove clothing from burned areas, but don’t try to remove clothing that’s stuck to the skin.
7. Avoid immersing the person or burned body parts in water. Hypothermia (severe loss of body heat) can occur if you immerse large, severe burns in water.
8. Raise the burned area. If possible, elevate the burned area above their heart.
9. Watch for shock. Signs and symptoms of shock include shallow breathing, pale complexion, and fainting.

FINAL WORD

First aid starts before a burn incident occurs on the jobsite. Before the incident occurs, know the location of the first aid kit, the nearest telephone, and the medical facility.