Burn Prevention

Burn Prevention Tips

Burns are probably the worst injury the human body can receive, and endure. Bad burns over most of the body can cause death. The elderly and very young are more suseptible to burn injuries because their skin is thinner than older children and adults.

The best course of action of course, is the prevention of burns:

Keep hot liquids away from table and counter edges

Keep children out of the kitchen while you are cooking

Keep the handles of pots and pans on the stove top pointed inwards, not out over the edges where they can be accidently tipped or caught on clothing, etc.

Keep clothing and curling irons out of childrens reach

Keep matches and lighters out of childrens reach, and locked up if necessary

Use extreme caution with flammable liquids such as gasoline

Children

Keep matches and lighters in a safe, childproof place. Treat matches and lighters as you would any dangerous item. Teach children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys
Install working smoke alarms in children's bedrooms to act as an early wanrning of dangerous fire play and early warning of a fire in the room
Insert childproof outlet caps in unused outlets
Teach children about fire safety whenever you use open flames in their presence
Use sunscreen on children whenever they are subject to sunburn
Teach children about hot items (irons, grills, wood stoves)

Hot Liquids

Turn your water heater thermostat down to 120 degrees F, or set the thermostat between low and medium
Install anti-scald device in faucets and shower heads
Test the bath water temperature by sweeping your hand with fingers extended slowly through the water prior to bathing
When preparing for a bath or shower, always turn on the cold-water faucet first, and then add hot water. Turn the hot water off first
Never hold an infant in your arms or lap while pouring or drinking hot liquids
Always use oven mitts when removing hot liquids from a microwave oven
Avoid using tablecloths or place mats that can easily be pulled off the table taking along items such as a hot cup of coffee, when young children are around. Keep all hot items near the center of the table to prevent a young child from reaching them.

Cooking

Turn pot handles toward the back of the range
Keep long cord appliances toward the back of the counter
Always use cooking mitts when handling cooking containers, especially dishes used in microwave ovens where the dish may be cool but the contents very hot
Test food that has been microwaved before serving. Never heat baby bottles in a microwave oven because of uneven heating that can cause scalds
Avoid wearing loose, long sleeve clothing when cooking
Keep children at a safe distance from cooking appliances such as the range or crock-pots, Establish a safe zone for children
If a pan of food catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
Never use water to extinguish a grease or electrical fire
Don't leave metal stirring utensils in pots and pans while cooking
Remove lids and pan covers carefully to allow the steam to vent away from you to prevent a steam burn. Steam is hotter than boiling water
Don't toss wet food into deep-fat fryers or frying pan containing hot grease or oil. The violent reaction between the hot liquid and the water will splatter hot oil
Keep children away from ovens when using the self-clean cycle. The surface temperature of the glass in the oven door can become extremely hot

Electrical Appliances

Replace worn or frayed electrical cords and plugs
Never overload electrical outlets, power strips, or extension cords
Do not run electrical cods through doorways or under rugs
Keep electrical appliances away from water
Never defeat the grounding feature of applianc cods by disconnecting or removing the grounding prong
Unplug appliances when not in use
Avoid touching electrical appliances while touching a water source
Use ground fault circuit interrupters for outdoor circuits and circuits near water sources
Look for the "UL Listed" mark before purchasing appliances. Read and follow directions when using electrical appliances

Heating

Wear leather gloves when loading wood into a wood stove. If you fall against the stove while squatting down to load wood, leather gloves prevent a hand burn
Never add fuel to a kerosene heater when it is hot, and never refuel a kerosene heater inside. Also be careful not to use gasoline as a substitute fuel. It could explode
Avoid using portable electric heaters within reach of young children. The hot surface can result in immediate serious burns. Never use portable electric heaters in bathrooms

Flammable Liquids

Do not pour lighter fluid onto a barbecue coals once the fire has started
Store gasoline in metal or approved plastic containers in a well ventilated area, away from any source of ignition. Keep the container tightly sealed when not in use. Do not store or use gasoline in the basement especially if you have a gas water heater or any appliance with an open flame. Remember... gasoline is made to explode!
Never add fuel to a hot lawn mower or motorbike and always fuel gasoline powered equipment outdoors, not inside a building
Don't smoke when using or dispensing gasoline
Don't use gasoline as a cleaning agent or charcoal lighter. Remember- there is only one acceptable use for gasoline - fueling an engine
Don't use gasoline around any device with a heating element. This includes drop lights that are the frequent cause of gasoline-related flash fire burns in automotive work areas

Camping

Before purchasing or using a tent, be sure the label states it is flame resistant
Keep campfires and grills at least ten feet from your tent
Do not use open flames of any type, such as camp stoves or candles, inside a tent
Fill lanterns and stoves a safe distance from fireplaces, grills, or other open flames
Use water to extinguish campfires. If dirt is placed on a campfire, the coals may stay hot and cause the dirt to become hot enough to burn the feet of anyone that steps on it, even after many hours

BURN CLASSIFICATIONS

BURN INJURY AND SUPPORT LINKS