Page 114 - Participant Manual

■ Liquid chemicals. If the burn resulted from a liquid chemical coming into contact with the skin, flush the
affected area with large amounts of cool water for at least 15 minutes or until EMS personnel arrive.

If the chemical is in the person’s eye, flush the eye with water until EMS personnel arrive. Tilt the person’s
head so that the affected eye is lower than the unaffected eye as you flush.

Electrical Burns

First aid for electrical burns also follows
the general principle of “stop, cool, cover,”
but as with chemical burns, there are some
special care considerations when electricity
is the cause of the burn. As always, check
the scene for safety before entering. Make
sure 9-1-1 or the designated emergency
number has been called, and if possible,
turn off the power at its source. Do not
approach or touch the person until you
are sure he or she is no longer in contact
with the electrical current. Once you have
determined that it is safe to approach the person, provide care as needed until help arrives. Because the
electrical current that caused the burns can also affect the heart’s rhythm or the person’s ability to breathe
(causing the person to go into cardiac arrest), be prepared to give CPR and use an AED if you are trained in
these skills.

Anyone who has experienced an electrical burn should be evaluated by a healthcare provider because the
person’s injuries may be more extensive than they appear. Although the person may only have a small burn
wound where the electrical current entered or left the body, there may be significant internal injuries caused
by the current passing through the body.

Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

Injuries to the muscles, bones and joints include sprains, strains, dislocations and fractures.

■ A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched, torn or damaged. Ligaments connect bones to bones at
the joints. Sprains most commonly affect the ankle, knee, wrist and finger joints.
■ A strain occurs when a tendon or muscle is stretched, torn or damaged. Tendons connect muscles to
bones. Strains often are caused by lifting something heavy or working a muscle too hard. They usually
involve the muscles in the neck, back, thigh or the back of the lower leg. Some strains can reoccur,
especially in the neck and back.

■ A dislocation occurs when the bones that meet at a joint move out of their normal position. This type
of injury is usually caused by a violent force that tears the ligaments, allowing the bones to move out of
place.

■ A fracture is a complete break, a chip or a crack in a bone. Fractures can be open (the end of the © 2011, 2016 The American National Red Cross. All rights reserved.
broken bone breaks through the skin) or closed (the broken bone does not break through the skin).

Chapter 6 Traumatic Injuries | 106 | First Aid/CPR/AED Participant’s Manual Chapter 6 Traumatic Injuries | 107 | First Aid/CPR/AED Participant’s Manual