The Dangers of Thermal Burns at Workplace: How to Protect Yourself Legally ?
Most people are unaware of the dangers posed by thermal burn
injury at the workplace. These types of burn injury can occur in a variety of
industries, but are particularly common in the construction, manufacturing, and
automotive industries. In fact, thermal burn injuries are
the leading cause of occupational mortality in the United States. Despite their
prevalence, many workers do not take the required actions to protect themselves
from these work injuries.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common causes of thermal
burn injuries at workplace, as well as how to protect oneself legally.
What are Thermal Burns?
Thermal burns are a type of burn
that is caused by exposure to extreme heat. Thermal burns can be caused by
fires, explosions, or contact with hot objects or liquids. Thermal burns usually get classified as first-degree,
second-degree, or third-degree burns.
● First-degree thermal burns are the least severe. They only affect
the skin's surface layer.
● Thermal burns of the second degree are more severe and affect both
the outer and inner layers of the skin.
● Third-degree
thermal burns are the most serious and can damage all layers of the skin.
Thermal Burns At Workplace
According to the Bureau of Labour, around 2 Million nonfatal occupational burns got treated in EDs
between 1999 and 2008. Over ten years, the number and rate of burns decreased
by about 40%.
Physical and psychological
consequences from burns can affect daily function, including the ability to
return to employment. According to reports, only 37% returned to the same job
without accommodations after 24 months, regardless of whether they were
work-related. People burned at work have a higher chance of becoming unemployed
one year after the accident than people injured at home. It's challenging to
return to work after an industrial burn because of pain, neurological issues,
behavioral issues, and reduced mobility.
*Insert Graph*
Burn Injuries to the hands
and fingers are the most prevalent, followed by burns to the eyes, lower arm
and wrist, face, and lower leg or foot.
Contact with hot items or
chemicals accounted for 56% of the cases, while skin exposure to caustic,
toxic, or allergic compounds accounted for 19%, welding light accounted for
13%, and fires and explosions accounted for 6%.
Food, hand tools, steam
vapors, and liquids were the most prevalent damage sources. Chemical products
caused six thousand three hundred burn injuries.
In 2008, liquid, grease, or
steam-related burns accounted for one-third of all burns. Younger workers, ages
15–24, accounted for about one-third of all scald burns. Scald burns occur on
the hand and fingers (37%) and the lower arm and wrist (25 percent ). Forty-four
percent of scald burns get caused by food ingredients such as hot fat and
cooking oil.Occupational burn injuries, despite reported decreases, remain a
major workplace safety problem. Severe burns can result in costly medical care
and long-term physical and psychological consequences.
What Should You Do If You Get a
Thermal Burn at Work?
If you have a thermal burn
injury at work, you should get medical help. Once you have been seen by
a doctor and have any necessary treatment, the next step is to report the
injury to your employer. This should be done as soon as possible, any
unaccounted delay in reporting your injury to your supervisor can have a
negative impact on your claim or lawsuit.
Your employer is required to keep a record of all workplace injuries, so it is
important to report the injury as soon as possible.You
should gather as much information about the occurrence as possible, such as
what caused it and who was involved. If you decide to make a workers' compensation claim, this information will be helpful. You may learn more
about submitting a Burn Injury Workers' Compensation Claim by clicking here.
It is critical to obtain
legal assistance if you have sustained thermal burn damage. We can assist you
in filing a thermal burn injury claim at Pistiolas Law. We'll
work hard to get you the money you deserve. For a free consultation, call 844-414-1768 today.
#workercompensatioanttorney
Comments
Post a Comment