Kitchen Safety & Scald Prevention Tips

Brandon, MB – A scald injury can happen at any age. Children, older adults and people with disabilities are especially at risk.  Brandon Fire & Emergency Services is reminding the public that hot liquids like hot coffee, microwaved soup and bath water can cause devastating injuries.

PREVENTION IS KEY

• Teach children that hot things can burn.
• Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges.
• Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge. Cook on the stove’s back burners if there are young children in the home.
• Use dry oven mitts or potholders. Hot cookware can heat moisture in a potholder or hot pad, resulting in a scald burn.
• Have at least a 3-foot kid-free zone around the stove.
• Never hold a child while cooking, drinking a hot liquid or carrying hot foods or liquids.
• Heat baby bottles in warm water from the faucet, not in a microwave.
• Allow microwaved food to cool before eating.

HOT TAP WATER AND SCALD BURNS

• Do not leave children unattended while the bathtub is filling or while children are in the tub.
• Before placing a child in the bath or getting into the tub yourself, test the water by moving your hand, wrist and forearm through the water.  The water should feel warm, not hot, to the touch.
• When bathing a young child, seat the child facing away from the faucets so the child cannot reach the faucet.  Turn the faucet to the “cold” position.

TREATING A BURN

• Treat a burn right away by putting it in cool water for 3 to 5 minutes.  Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Do not apply creams, ointments, sprays or other home remedies.
• Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry, and metal from the burned area. These can hide underlying burns and retain heat increasing skin damage.
• Go to the emergency room, call 911 or see your doctor if the burn is:
  • on the face, hands, feet, major joints or genital area and/or bigger than the injured person’s palm;
  • white, tight, dry (leathery) or painless;
  • caused by chemicals or electricity;
  • causing difficulty breathing.
• See your doctor as soon as possible if the burn:
  • does not heal in 2 to 3 days;
  • becomes foul smelling;
  • develops thick drainage, redness or swelling;
  • causes a fever;
  • results in a large blister, wet weepy wound and/or severe pain.