Burn Prevention

Burn injuries can range from relatively minor burns that can be treated at home to life-threatening injuries that require long-term hospitalization. Older adults and children under the age of 4 are at higher risk for burn injuries due to having thinner skin layers. According to the CDC, over 300 children under the age of 19 are treated in emergency-rooms for burn-related injuries, making unintentional burns one of the top 10 causes of injury for children.

Here are some quick tips to keep you and your family safe from burns.

Fire Safety

  • Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home, and maintain them by checking or replacing the batteries every six months and keeping track of their expiration dates.
  • Create a household escape plan that reviews two ways to exit every room in your home, and includes an outdoor meet-up spot.

Contact Burns

  • Use dry pot holders or oven mitts to move hot pots and take things out of the oven.
  • Create a “trip-free” zone around heating stoves and fire places by clearing away clutter and furniture (such as stepstools).

Scald Burns

  • Keep pot and pan handles turned inwards – don’t let handles hang over the edge of the stove.
  • Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Chemical Burns

  • Read and follow label directions, especially regarding the personal protective equipment needed to handle specific chemicals.
  • Don’t mix different types of chemicals or cleaners together.

Electrical Burns

  • Turn off the circuit breaker (or power to the whole house) when you are working with electricity. If you’re not sure about your electrical skills, call an electrician.
  • Protect children by putting covers over outlets and keeping electrical cords out of reach.

Burn Prevention Resources

Contact Us

For questions about the program, please contact us at InjuryPreventionatuvmhealth [dot] org (InjuryPrevention[at]uvmhealth[dot]org).