Third & Fourth Degree Burns in The Workplace: What You Need to Know

An employee was washing a tank barge that contained a caustic product. The product splashed on his upper left arm, then spread to his waist and lower extremities, causing second- and third-degree burns.

Three employees nippled up a blowout preventer’s operation while standing in ankle-deep water that had cement residue in it. Later, one of the employee’s suffered first, second, and third degree burns to his feet, requiring hospitalization. Rubber boots were not worn at the time of the incident.

An employee was making rounds when the employee walked into a sulfuric acid spray that was coming from a pin hole leak from a V-1038’s sludge trap. The employee sustained second and third degree burns to the neck and face.

An employee was diagnosing equipment that was malfunctioning. He opened an access panel as part of the diagnostic procedure. When he opened the compartment, chemical was released and sprayed into his face, upper body, chest, shoulder area, and back, causing second and third degree chemical burns.

An employee was washing down sodium hydroxide that was leaking off a pump. During the washing process, caustic material soaked into the employee’s steel toe boots through the laces, causing second and third degree burns to the tops of the employee’s feet.

An employee hooked up a hose to unload sulfuric acid. After he hooked up the appropriate hose, he walked around the truck to make sure everything was in its proper place. He then came back and touched the hose to ensure that sulfuric acid was being transferred. When he touched the hose, it came off, […]

An employee was retrieving a tool that fell into a chemical tank using a pole. The tool fell off the pole and back into the tank, splashing the chemical on the employee. The employee sustained first, second, and third degree burns on the hands, right knee, thigh, calf, and right foot, requiring hospitalization.