Burn Injuries At Work
By Pyle Law, February 02 2021 4:46 pmBurn injuries can be common in many types of workplaces, including construction sites, mines, manufacturing facilities, kitchens, and more. If you sustained a serious burn and need treatment, you should not hesitate to contact a Kansas workers’ compensation attorney.
The CDC estimates that over 1.1 million Americans get hospitalized for burn injuries each year, and an average of 4,500 to 10,000 people will tragically pass away as a result of these injuries. Even in office environments and workplaces where you least expect it, occupational hazards can still lead to excruciating burn injuries that can lead to serious injury or death.
If you or someone you know in the area suffered such an injury, it’s prudent that you seek immediate medical attention and then seek the help of a Kansas workers’ compensation attorney right away. You’ll want to understand your rights after your accident and burn injury.
The most well-recognized sort of burn injury you’ll find in the workplace, thermal burns occur when your flesh is directly exposed to open flame or heated items. The severity of these particular burns can be assessed by degrees. The first degree is superficial burns that only damage the skin’s surface, second-degree burns penetrate slightly deeper into its outer layers, while anything third-degree or higher entails charred flesh and damage to the deep nerve, muscle, or fatty tissue.
These can occur anywhere with exposed fire, structural fires or explosions, steaming or boiling water, hot burst piping, or anywhere with damaged furnaces. Given the nature of the daily conditions they are exposed to, employees who work in kitchens or industrial factories are especially susceptible to risking these burns.
Chemical burns from acids and other harmful, caustic chemicals can deeply penetrate the flesh and body in the same way that a third-degree thermal burn will. They can result in intense irritation, painful blistering, and tissue necrosis in the absolute worst cases. Any workplace where chemical hazards are regularly present is a workplace that is never 100% safe from the risk of caustic burns.
Under OSHA regulations, all employers with chemical hazards must provide appropriate labeling, safety data sheets, training, and protective gear for these hazards. Failure to provide even one of these things could lead to an injury.
Less visible but still profoundly damaging, radiological and electrical burns can inflict the same irritation and tissue damage as the two aforementioned burns. There can also be residual effects of these burns, including radiation poisoning and carcinogenic exposure.
Radiological burns can occur in any workplace where UV rays, microwaves, x-rays, or ionizing radiation is handled, while electrical burns can occur in just about any workplace with unsafe wiring.
Just as exposure to extremely high temperatures can damage the body, exposure to extremely low temperatures (from liquid air or nitrogen) can have a similar effect. Being subject to such a “burn” will firm and whiten the skin, trigger painful numbness and hypothermia in the affected area, and demand immediate medical attention. The affected area should be immediately dressed and doused in lukewarm water, and if serious enough, you should seek the help of a healthcare provider ASAP.
All types of serious burn injuries can result in losses, and you want to make sure you receive proper workers’ compensation benefits for your medical treatment, lost income, and more. You want the help of a Kansas workers’ compensation attorney at Pyle Law to ensure your rights are protected. The firm serves the entire state of Kansas, so please contact us to arrange a free consultation today.
