Protecting Against Burns

amanda1634
Jun 28, 2021
3 min read

Updated: Dec 20, 2021

Workers who are constantly exposed to heat, either from flames, steam, or hot

materials / equipment are at risk from burns. Burns can be serious and even life-threatening.

Ensure workers have the correct controls in place, are wearing the

correct personal protective equipment when working with heat, and know best

treatment options if they do receive burns.

Burns can be caused in a number of ways and in a number of different industries.

Some industries and areas of exposure may include:

Kitchen Staff

Hot liquids, pots, pans, oils and fats
Hot stoves and ovens, deep fryers,
Steam from items cooking and coffee machines
Exposure to flames
Carry hot objects, food or liquids in restricted and busy spaces
Using hot water

Welding, Soldering, Angle Grinding and other Hot Works

Hot materials
Heated tools and machinery
Molten metals
Fire and sparks
Furnaces
Caustic Chemicals
Falling onto hot items

What You Can Do

It is best practice to always eliminate the risk where you are reasonably able to.

Where you are not able to eliminate the risk, you need to consider controls to

minimise the risk.

Some controls you could adopt are:

Training of workers to stand to the side of ovens, deep fryers, steamers, furnaces etc when opening them and to open pot lids away from themselves to avoid burns from the steam.
Provide workers training of how to slowly and carefully put food into hot oil to minimise that chance of splashing.
All workers to wear safety shoes or shoes that fully cover their feet.
Use equipment that can be safely lifted by one person or lift in teams.
Avoid moving hot items across walkways.
Only clean ovens, cooking appliances and equipment once cooled.
Store hot items on flat, stable surfaces.
Ensure all equipment is in good condition prior to use
Avoid placing hot items in areas with traffic, if possible secure or create a exclusion area.

What You Can Do...Continued

Do not let handles or tools overlap hot work surfaces or areas where they can be knocked.
When purchasing equipment, ensure safety features to avoid burns are considered. Purchase items that automatically switch off after a set time.
Limit the water temperature on hot water taps.
Store hot equipment in cages when switched on to avoid accidental contact.
Ensure lighting is sufficient.
Provide hand protection, face shields and other personal protective equipment as required.
Provide clothing that is fire resistant.
Develop procedures to ensure that any burns are treated and covered.

When selecting the most effective and appropriate controls for the risk ask your

workers for their suggestions and concerns.

Personal Protective Equipment

Wearing the proper PPE and clothing can make a difference.

In clothing - fire resistant materials, such as wool, are known to prevent burns

to the body. Some synthetic materials can stick to your skin if burned / melted

and should be avoided.

Correct gloves, footwear, face shields and other protective equipment should

be worn when there is a risk of burns. When choosing PPE and clothing check

the fire and / or chemical rating on the products that you are purchasing to

ensure the item is suitable for the task.

This information is available from your chosen PPE provider and found on the rating labels.

If you are unsure of what the rating should be our team or your suppliers can assist you with this process.

See our PPE Compliance Safety Talk for more information

First Aid

All workers should know where the first aid kit is located. In areas where there is a known risk of burns, a burns kit is also recommended. An assessment of the required number of First Aiders for the workplace and an identified number of First Aiders rostered onto shifts

should be completed for all businesses.

The First Aiders should also be trained to treat the specific types of burns that could occur at your premises (for example a first degree burn treatment is different to a second or third degree burn.)

For businesses where burns are a likely injury, emergency drills specific to burn

scenarios should be conducted on a regular basis.