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At STC, we are committed to keeping employees safe throughout all aspects of their careers. From February 7th through 13th, we are excited to celebrate National Burn Awareness Week by highlighting a variety of our favorite workplace burn prevention tips. You never want to learn this information afterward, so here’s everything you should know about burn prevention from STC:

Types of Workplace Burns

To kick off National Burn Awareness Week, it’s important to understand the different types of workplace burns and their sources. Each type of workplace burn serves a different type of potentially fatal danger. As you introduce new employees to your workplace or start work in a new location, it is crucial to identify where employees may encounter each type of burn.

  • Thermal Burns – Open flames, scalding liquids, hot surfaces and explosions.

  • Chemical Burns – Alkaloids, strong acids and other corrosive chemicals

  • Electrical Burns – Live wires, inattention to detail when working with electricity

  • Sun Exposure Burns – Prolonged exposure to harsh direct sunlight

Training is the First Step to Burn Prevention

OSHA states that it is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe working environment. The first step to ensuring that this happens is training employees on the dangers of workplace burns. This training should cover an overview of the hazards an employee might face at the site, OSHA standards and hazard identification. In addition, burn prevention training should continue even after the employee has started at the site, with yearly refresher training to ensure ongoing safety.

Hazard Communications for National Burn Awareness Week

Training your employees is the first step to prevention, but even when they are knowledgeable, they should be reminded of the potential dangers on the job site. Each piece of potentially dangerous equipment or burn sources should be clearly labeled with posters, color-coded labels and signs. Employees should be trained on how to clearly identify each of the labels.

No matter how you choose to prepare your employees for burn prevention, STC is here to help guide you through every step. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, from onsite safety staffing to safety consulting to help prepare your employees for every situation. Want to learn more about celebrating National Burn Awareness Week? Check out our blog today!

Photo Sourced by Getty Images: #1214424375