If you are a careful person, then you must be aware of all the types of accidents in the world. Here are the common types of skin-related injury that might happen to you, in your office, no matter how careful you are.
Puncture
Puncture wounds small holes on the skin by a sharp object that has pierced the skin. You may think that’s it’s not of a big deal and you don’t need to review the “compensation of workers” page in your office but some punctures can also be very deep and critical and might need an immediate response.
Most of the common things that could cause puncture wounds are pins, nails, splinters, broken glasses, knives or even scissors. Almost all of those sharp object could potentially create a puncture wound.
Home remedies like cleaning the wound thoroughly might help. However, if you think that it’s critical, then you might want to visit the doctor’s clinic for you to have antibiotics or a tetanus shot.
Burn
Most of the people think of “fire” when someone mentions the word “burn” to them. However, burn comes in three degrees and each of these degrees has several causes as well.
First Degree
This is the mildest form of skin injury. It doesn’t need any medical treatment because it heals after several days from the moment you got it. The common signs of a first-degree burn are skin redness, swelling or even dryness. You might feel a little pain, but it will just pass.
Some things that cause first degree burns are sunburn, hot water, hot food or even electricity (depends on the voltage). No need to panic if this happens to you. Just apply first aid like soaking the burnt area to cold water for five minutes or more.
Second Degree
You should take this type of burn more seriously because the damage extends beyond the top layer of skin. This means that the blisters pop open and it usually gives the area a wet appearance
Flames and chemicals are the usual cause of second-degree burns. If you experience this, you need to soak your skin in cold water for 15 minutes or more. You might also need to take some painkillers and to apply some anti-blisters cream on the burnt area for you to avoid scars.
Third Degree Burn
This type of injury is the most severe because it causes damages to every layer of the skin. It may cause you pain or never at all since it will damage some of the nerves as well. The most visible sign of a third-degree burn is the black, leathery and red-brown color of your skin.
The most common causes of this burn are lightning, harsh chemicals, or being exposed to a too hot object like water or metal. If you are not sure whether a first aid is needed or not, better call 911.
Laceration
This type of wound is the opening of the skin, tissue, and muscles. It may be deep, shallow, wide or narrow, depending on what caused the cut like skin hitting an object or an object hitting your skin piercing the skin.
First aid may be helpful, but it’s better to call the experts especially if the cut needs to be closed.
Takeaway
There are still a lot of workplace-related injuries that you may not have experienced yet. If the time comes that one of those happens to you, panicking will not help. Focus on what you have learned and how you could apply it.
Author Bio:
Miranda Sons is a medical student and a blogger at the same time. She usually writes about first aid tips to help her readers who have no about life-saving. During her free time, she volunteers as a lifeguard in one of the beaches in San Diego.