"Hot water can burn like fire", Steam Injuries in the Work Force P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada
Aug 17, 2015
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"Hot water can burn like fire",
Steam Injuries in the Work Force
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Steam/Hot Water Cleaning
• Steam Burns• Steam burns occur when an individual is exposed to
excessive amounts of pressurized steam or hot liquid. Studies suggest that steam burns are most prevalent in industrial environments, and that the prevailing damage done is in the form of skin scalding, a specific type of burning that is caused by non-solid hot material.
• Burn injuries can forever alter life and livelihood of the victim, and, in many cases, the injury is born of another's negligence.
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Treatment:
• Treatment: What To Do When a Burn OccursNo matter how diligent a person is in his or her efforts to prevent a hot water burn, sometimes burns occur anyway. In those cases, it is very important that a responsible adult knows how to handle the situation.
• If the burn seems minor in nature than hold the affected skin under a stream of cool running water for about 15 minutes and then apply a loose bandage. If the burn is on an infant or seems severe then call 911. While you are waiting for emergency services, try to regulate the victim’s temperature by adding or removing blankets, as needed. Also, try to elevate the burned area, if possible.
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What is a Scald Injury?
• A scald injury occurs…– When contact with hot liquid
or steam damages one or more layers of skin
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Superficial
Superficial partial-thickness
Deep partial-thickness
Full-thickness
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Scald Injury Severity Factors
• Length of contact with hot substance• Temperature of substance • Nature of substance– Is it thick or sticky? – Does it retain heat?
• Extent of body area scalded• Location of scald
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Very painful, dry, red burns which blanch with pressure. They usually take 3 to 7 days
to heal without scarring. Also known as first-degree burns. The most common type
of first-degree burn is sunburn. First-degree burns are limited to the epidermis, or
upper layers of skin.
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What Temperature? How Long?
Temperature oC
Exposure Time
44 6 hours
49 9 minutes
51 2-6 minutes
52 2 minutes
55 20-30 seconds
60 5-6 seconds
66 2 seconds
70 1 second
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Very painful burns sensitive to temperature change and air exposure. More
commonly referred to as second-degree burns. Typically, they blister and are moist,
red, weeping burns which blanch with pressure. They heal in 7 to 21 days. Scarring
is usually confined to changes in skin pigment.
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Blistering or easily unroofed burns which are wet or waxy dry, and are painful to
pressure. Their color may range from patchy, cheesy white to red, and they do not
blanch with pressure. They take over 21 days to heal and scarring may be severe. It is
sometimes difficult to differentiate these burns from full-thickness burns.
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Burns which cause the skin to be waxy white to a charred black and tend to be
painless. Healing is very slow, if at all, and may require skin grafting. Severe
scarring usually occurs.
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Emergency Care of Scald Injury
• Remove scald victim from source
• Remove all affected clothing,diapers, shoes, etc.
• Cool scalded area briefly with cool water
• Cover with clean, dry covering
• Do not apply creams, salves or ointments
• Call 9-1-1
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b. Check their Airway, Breathing and Circulation and if necessary begin CPR using an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) if available and EMS is not present. If the victim is breathing, place them on their side to prevent airway obstruction.
c. Due to the possibility of vertebrae injury secondary to intense muscle contraction, you should use spinal injury precautions during resuscitation.
d. Elevate legs to 45 degrees if possible.e. Keep the victim warm until EMS arrives.