 Burns Overview
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Fire Safety
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Burns are a type of injury caused by thermal, electrical, chemical, or electromagnetic energy. Most burn accidents occur at home. About 75 percent of all burn injuries in children are preventable.
An open flame is the leading cause of burn injury for adults, while scalding is the leading cause of burn injury for children. Both infants and the elderly are at the greatest risk for burn injury.
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A burn injury usually results from an energy transfer to the body. There are many types of burns caused by thermal, radiation, chemical, or electrical contact.
- thermal burns - burns due to external heat sources which raise the temperature of the skin and tissues and cause tissue cell death or charring. Hot metals, scalding liquids, steam, and flames, when coming in contact with the skin, can cause thermal burns.
- radiation burns - burns due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun, or to other sources of radiation such as x-ray.
- chemical burns - burns due to strong acids, alkalies, detergents, or solvents coming into contact with the skin and/or eyes.
- electrical burns - burns from electrical current, either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC).
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How are burns classified?
Burns are classified as first, second, or third-degree depending on how deep and severe they penetrate the skin's surface.
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- First-degree (superficial) burns affect only the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. The burn site is red, painful, dry, and with no blisters. Mild sunburn is an example. Scarring does not occur.
- Second-degree (partial thickness) burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin. The burn site appears red, blistered, and painful, with possible swelling, and may be moist.
- Third-degree (full thickness) burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. Third-degree burns may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. The burn site appears white or charred. There is no sensation in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.
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According to the latest data available from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), consider the following statistics:
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- Accidental, or unintentional, injury is a leading cause of death among children ages 14 and younger.
- Leading causes of accidental injury at home are burns, drowning, suffocation, choking, poisonings, falls, and fire arms.
- Burns are the fifth most common cause of accidental death in children and adults, and account for nearly an estimated 4,000 adult and child deaths per year.
- Nearly 75 percent of all burns in children are preventable.
- Nearly 3,800 adults and children die every year in fires, or from other burn injuries.
- Toddlers and children are more often burned by a scalding or flames.
- The majority of children ages 4 and under, who are hospitalized for burn-related injuries, suffer from scalds burns (65 percent) or contact burns (20 percent).
- Hot tap water burns cause more deaths and hospitalizations than burns from any other hot liquids.
- During the last 30 years, burn injuries have decreased by 50 percent in the US for the following reasons:
- Increased use of smoke detectors.
- The flammability of consumer products, such as toys and pajamas, is federally regulated.
- The US government monitors safety in the workplace.
- A greater national emphasis is placed on burn injury prevention and fire safety.
- A decrease in smoking helps prevent burn injuries.
- New water heaters in homes and in public areas are now preset at lower temperatures to reduce scald injuries.
- There are fewer open fires.
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