How to Protect Yourself from Burns at Home

You can protect yourself and your family from serious burn injuries in the home.

DO NOT drink coffee or any hot beverage while holding an infant. Place the youngster in a playpen or highchair until you’ve finished.

MAKE sure electrical appliance cords are not hanging over tables or counter tops. It’s important to buy electrical appliances with short cords to make accidents less likely.

TURN the handles of pots toward the back of the stove so they are not within the grasp of children.

KEEP children away from stoves, fireplaces and devices where liquids are heated. For instance, youngsters can be attracted by a cookie jar, climb on top of the stove to reach it, turn the knobs and catch their clothing on fire.

TAP water can cause serious scalds. Do not leave young children near a running bathtub even for a moment.

IF you make sure the temperature of your hot water heater is below 130 degrees F, you’ll lessen the severity of burns.

USE potholders when removing food from an oven or off a stove. Never use a towel because it can easily catch fire.

FOR minor burns, one first-aid treatment is to submerge the area in ice water. Burns will heal quicker and pain will be minimized.

GREASE fires around the stove are very common. Do not pour water, salt or baking soda over a flaming pan. Instead, carefully slide a lid over the flame.
To extinguish an oven fire, throw baking soda directly on the flame and close the oven door.

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 21st, 2007 at 1:35 pm and is filed under Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.