Jobs With the Highest Risk of Burn Injuries

Employees can suffer different types of injuries while on the job. Among the most common work-related injuries that employees suffer are burn injuries. The CDC, the World Health Organization, and the American Burn Association estimate that 1.1 million people a year in the U.S. suffer burn injuries. A large percentage of these burn injuries are work-related. When it comes to work-related burn injuries, there are different types of injuries that workers can suffer. In this article, we discuss types of burn injuries and the jobs with the highest risk of burn injuries.

Types of Burn Injuries

Workers can suffer different types of burn injuries while on the job. The following are the different types of burn injuries that workers can suffer;

• Thermal burns: This type of burn occurs when someone is exposed to heat from various sources such as steam, flames, or hot liquids. Thermal burns cause damage to skin cells and can lead to pain and swelling.
• Electrical burns: When workers come into contact with an electrical current, they can suffer electrical burns. For example, touching a live electrical wire can result in an electrical burn.
• Chemical burns: This type of burn occurs when someone comes into contact with a harmful chemical substance. For instance, acids, fertilizers, cleaners, and corrosive chemicals can cause chemical burns.
• First-degree burns: A first-degree burn is one that only affects the outer layer of the skin
• Second-degree burns: A second-degree burn affects the outer layer and part of the underlying layer of the skin.
• Third-degree burns: This type of burn destroys the outer and underlying layers of the skin.

What Jobs Have the Highest Risk of Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries can happen in a wide range of circumstances. All workers are at risk of suffering burn injuries. However, some workers are at a higher risk than others of suffering burn injuries. The following are some of the jobs that put people at a much higher risk of suffering work-related burn injuries:

Firefighters

Unsurprisingly, firefighters are among the workers with the highest risk of suffering burn injuries. These brave professionals go into burning buildings and vehicles and face wildfires and even explosions to save lives. Firefighters can be burned by a blazing fire or hot materials.

Electricians

People who work with electrical wiring are at a high risk of suffering electrical burns. Faulty or exposed wiring can lead to severe electrical burns.

Construction Workers

The machinery and tools construction workers use can heat up to a significant temperature and cause severe burns. Construction workers are also at a high risk of suffering chemical burns and being electrocuted.

Food Service Workers

Chefs and other workers in the food-service industry are at a high risk of suffering severe burn injuries. Working with flames, hot cooking surfaces, and hot liquids puts workers in the food service industry at an increased risk of suffering burns.

Plant Workers

Plant workers are at a high risk of suffering chemical burns from acids, thinning agents, and oxidizers.

Truck Drivers

Truck drivers are at a high risk of burn injuries as a result of hot engine parts, truck fires, and explosions.

Suppose you suffer a burn injury while on the job. You can file a workers’ compensation claim and recover financial compensation. Workers’ compensation covers, among other things, medical expenses, income replacement, rehabilitation services, and disability benefits.

Legal Help Is Available

After suffering a burn injury while on the job, our Vermont workers’ compensation attorney at Sluka Law PLC can help with your workers’ compensation claim.

Source:

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