Mark Reed and Associate

A burn injury is traumatic and excruciating, to say the least and if not treated immediately, can have worse repercussions. You need to approach a burn injury with utmost care and on a case-by-case basis. You need to know the type and degree of injury first. There are three degrees of burn injuries—first, second and third—the seriousness increases with each degree. You also need to know that burn injuries are not always caused by fire and can be caused by chemicals and electricity too, among other causes. The treatment will vary depending on the type and cause of the injury.

You must remember that in case of a serious burn injury, the victim must be taken to a hospital eventually. But you can make things a bit better by giving the victim a first-aid before help arrives.

Let us take a look at the various ways you can treat a burn injury.

If one has sustained a first degree injury, then a trip to the hospital is not usually required. Hold the affected part under cold running water for at least 10 to 15 minutes. If you are unable to arrange running water, immersing the affected part in cold water will also do just fine. You can also try cold water compression on the affected part. Remember not to apply ice on the affected part directly as it can cause frostbite. After the affected area has cooled down, gently and carefully pat the area dry with the help of a dry towel. You may apply Aloe Vera or a burn ointment in the affected area to soothe it.

If one has sustained a burn injury of more serious nature, then immediate medical attention is required. Immediately call 911 and begin giving the first-aid treatment till the time help arrives. Make sure that you wear protective equipment and do not sustain any injury while giving first-aid treatment. Do not remove any clothing if the clothing has stuck to the body. Remove immediately any kind of accessory like watches, bracelets and rings from around the affected area carefully and gently without hurting the victim. Do not apply cold water as that might put the victim under a state of shock. Depending on the body coverage of the burnt area, wrap the affected parts with a clean and dry cloth or a bandage and immediately transfer the victim to a hospital. You may also use a clean and dry cotton bed sheet if the coverage of the body parts is wide and vast.

Remember not to apply butter or oil to any type of burn as this might aggravate the injury.

First-aid and hospitalization apart, one needs to keep the victim in good spirits all the time. A burn injury is not only physically painful, but also traumatic for the victim. A few words of encouragement that the victim is going to recover soon will do a world of good to the victim’s spirits.

Professional hazards and household accidents have become quite common now. While racing along with time, we often forget to take the common precautions in our respective fields of work. This makes us prone to a range of accidents and injuries. Burn injury is a serious form of injury, caused mainly by negligence. A burn injury can even prove fatal if not treated carefully.

Burn injuries can be classified depending on various factors. The seriousness of the burn depends on how hot the skin gets. The amount of heat exposure is also crucial in the diagnosis of the burn injury. As our skin has various layers, the depth of the injury plays a vital role. A deep injury takes longer time to heal than a superficial one and has more complications. On the basis of the aforesaid factors, burn injuries are distinguished into various categories also known as ‘degrees’. Injury to the topmost layer of the skin, namely the epidermis, is known as first degree burn or superficial burn. A burn injury that extends to the second layer of the skin, dermis, is known as second degree burn or dermal injury. The third degree burn is associated with the injury that stretches to the third layer of the skin. The burn which damages the muscles beneath the third layer is called a fourth degree burn.

Most of the times, a burn injury does not require hospitalization. Severe burns, on the other hand require immediate medical intervention as they can be fatal. Burned skin should be provided ample protection not only for preventing germs but also for the prevention of bacterial growth on the burned surface. Though there are different strategies for different degrees of burns, a primary treatment is essential. Bandages not only reduce the loss of water and heat from burned skin but also help in keeping the limbs in a proper position for healing. A serious burn injury often causes swelling. Regions of badly burned skin become stiff and resist swelling which again increase pressure inside limbs or fingers. Raising the injured limb, followed by draining of the fluid, can be a solution for this increased pressure. Surgical methods are also practiced to ease the pressure.

Skin grafting is yet another technique used, in which healthy unburned skin from the patient’s body is grafted on the burned skin. During the healing process, scars grow beyond and above the wound causing hypertrophic scarring. Garments are used for keeping pressure on the wound while it gets healed thereby reducing the amount of scarring. It is often found that scar forming near joints; make the skin too tight for the normal movement of the joints, causing contracture. They are often healed by surgery. Though exercises of the burned limbs may appear to be painful, in the long run they increase flexibility. Long term complications can also be avoided if rehabilitation is begun quite early and is continued in the whole healing process.

An employee of an organization is susceptible to various types of burn injuries. A burn injury in an office is most of the times caused by human negligence and is avoidable. A greater part of these injuries can be avoided by adopting all documented safety precautions for all kinds of machineries and appliances.  According to estimates in the United States, the most common causes of burn injuries are scalds, building fires, and flammable gases and liquids. It is worthwhile to make a note of the common causes of burn injuries at workplace.

Office fires: The high-rise buildings are among the most susceptible premises to fire. Many high-rise buildings are more than 75 feet tall and the reach of the ladders of the fire safety departments usually vary between 40 to 75 feet. Hence, people caught in fire on the tallest floors are the most vulnerable. The scariest aspect of office high-rise fires is that many employees die not because of coming in direct contact with fire but because of jumping from the top in an attempt to evade burn injury.
Injuries from Chemicals: People who work in factories and are exposed to powerful chemicals almost daily are highly vulnerable to burn injuries. The most dangerous aspect of injuries from exposure to chemicals is that the injuries do not become obvious immediately and silently cause the damage. Victims sustain burn injuries because of strong alkaloids, caustic and corrosive agents and acids. Usually, a burn injury sustained from chemicals affects the face, arms, legs and the eyes of the victims.
Burn Injuries from Defective Products: People who are directly involved in manufacturing products that require a high degree of chemicals or usage of electricity may suffer from burn injuries due to coming in contact with the products or because of explosion of a defective product. There have also been many cases of people sustaining burn injuries because of explosions in the factories.
Burn Injuries from Flammable Materials: Employees who are working in factories and making garments are the most vulnerable to burn injuries. Many employees who have been making stuff like Fleece Sweatshirts, children’s pajamas and Scarves have in many cases suffered from burn injuries mainly because of the inflammable nature of the materials.
Fire from Electrical Appliances: This has been one of the most common causes of fire in the office premises and there have been instances of people getting gutted. This happens mainly because of negligence in the maintenance of the equipments and non compliance in the case of documented safety procedures.
From the numerous incidents that have taken place in the workplace in the last few years, it can be safely inferred that most of these accidents are avoidable and can be averted if the safety procedures are closely followed and complied with. These incidents will point out that only a small percentage of a burn injury can be attributed to accidental causes. Hence, obviously, a little more care and caution can change things dramatically.