Avoid Scalds: Useful Tips To Help Prevent Burn-Related Injuries
Each year, a staggering 400,000 individuals in the United States seek medical attention for burn injuries. In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared that burns were among the top 10 causes of non-fatal injuries in children under the age of four, and among the top five causes of death in those under the age of 65.
While more than 70% of burn injuries occur at home, nearly 10% occur in the workplace, including farms and ranches. To shed light on this important issue, National Burn Awareness Week is taking place February 5 -11, 2023. With a focus on scalds, this year’s theme serves as an important reminder that “hot liquids burn like fire.”
Burns are injuries caused by heat, such as fire, electricity, and chemicals. Unfortunately, like most incidents, burns can catch us off guard and can occur when we are least expecting it. Since burns occur most often in the home, prevention is key. Here are a few ways you can prevent burn-related injuries at home, especially scalds:
Temperature Check: When bathing a child, always check the water temperature with your hand to ensure there are no hot spots. Also, as we look forward to warm weather fun this summer, when filling up baby pools or using sprinklers, always use caution around garden hoses, as they could be baking in the sun and release water at scalding temperatures.
Avoid a Balancing Act: Never hold a child at the same time as holding a hot beverage, carrying hot foods, or cooking, as this dangerous balancing act can lead to an accidental spill.
Establish a Kid-Free-Zone: From the kitchen stove to cooking over a campfire, ensure children have a buffer of at least 3 feet in areas where hot foods or drinks are prepared.
Handle with Care: Whether taking food out of the microwave, off the stovetop, or from the oven, always use oven mitts and open or remove lids away from your body.
Safety on the Go: When preparing a morning cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate when heading out to work or school, ensure your travel mug has a tight-fitting lid.
These preventative strategies to guide children to make safer and healthier decisions are at the forefront of the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program utilized throughout North America.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached millions of individuals since 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.