Alice worked as a first aid trainer for more than ten years before transitioning into product management and joining the senior leadership team at Red Cross Training.
Burn in the workplace: How first aiders are trained to respond
Find out how first aiders are trained to respond to help someone has a burn in the workplace.
Burns and scalds are a common UK workplace injury, and an estimated 29,000 incidents were reported between 2021/22 and 2023/24. It is good to remember with burns that the quicker you act, and the longer the area is cooled, the better the outcome for the person and their injury. Our guide looks at how to help when someone who has a burn.
How our training prepares first aiders to help someone with a burn in the workplace
On our training courses, learners will learn about the different types of burn that could occur in the workplace. Group activities will feature a discussion about recognising the signs and symptoms of a burn injury. Course learners will also explore the steps to take in providing first aid for burns through a video learning activity.
What happens when someone has a burn?
Burns happen when the skin is damaged due to an extreme temperature or corrosive substance. They can be caused by a range of different things such as:
- contact with a hot surface or flame
- scalds from hot liquids or steam
- the sun
- electricity
- chemicals
- ice.
In what workplace situations or environments are people likely to have a burn?
Someone could burn themselves in a kitchen when cooking; by touching hot surfaces such as hair straighteners, or hot radiators; scalds from hot drinks spillages etc. are common in all walks of life.
Burns and scalds can occur in various workplaces, including those involving:
- cooking
- welding
- manufacturing
- handling chemicals.
What to do if someone has a burn in the workplace
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- Cool the burn with cool running water for at least 20 minutes. Flooding the area with water will cool the burn, reduce pain and the risk of scarring.
- The faster and longer a burn is cooled, the lower the chance of being scarred.
- After the burn has cooled, cover it with cling film or a clean plastic bag. Plastic covering helps to prevent infection. It also reduces the pain by preventing air getting to the burned area.
- You should call 999 if necessary and seek medical attention for any burn which is larger than 5% of the person’s body area or a blister bigger than 1%. As a guide: the palm of your hand is about 1% of your body area. It’s also important to go to hospital if you are unsure of the severity of the burn, they’ve burned a delicate area like their face, the burn is caused by electricity or a chemical, or the casualty is a child or older person.
How can you be prepared for someone who has a burn in the workplace?
As an employer, it is essential to regularly review and refine your first aid needs assessment, to identify and control hazards that could lead to burns in the workplace. You should also ensure that your team have and use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), to protect against burns, such as gloves, aprons, and eye protection.
You should have an adequate number of first aiders in the workplace who can help with a burn if it occurs. You may also want to consider purchasing a burns first aid kit to provide fast and effective treatment. That way you can ensure that you continue to meet your legal obligations and make your workplace as safe as possible.
The British Red Cross Training First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work Requalification courses feature training on how to help someone who is has a burn.