Yes, the risk assessment should have shown that burns were a distinct possibility.  However, as the recommended first aid treatment for burns is to run the burn under cold water for at least 20 minutes, I do not think that the bakery were at fault as long as cold water was in plentiful supply and the employee was allowed to use this treatment.

If the employee wanted to purchase a topical burn screen or treatment then that would be up to them and at their cost.

As far as I am aware the tray had dropped and they had instinctively attempted to stop it falling any further.

I will check whether they had run their hand/or been told to run their hand under cold water.  It does suggest a touch of negligence sending them next door to have it treated.

Would expect the employer to have produced a risk assessment and that this risk assessment would have identified the risk of employees being burned while handling trays. I would also expect the employer to have trained their staff and to use suitable PPE ie gloves to get hot trays out of ovens. The manager should keep an eye of staff and to make sure that they do use the gloves (assuming that they are there and in good nick).  There should be a suitable first aid kit in the bakery and  staff should have access to cold running water or a cool pack to deal with any burn. The manager should be able to decide if the burn is serious enough to warrant medical attention.

The fact that employee went to a nearby pharmacy to self-treat leads me to suspect that the bakery:

1. Hadn’t done a risk assessment  that was suitable and sufficient
2. That it hadn’t trained it’s staff (including the manager)
3. And that it did not have enough  suitable first aid equipment

How the burn happened is one for the investigation. Yes hot oven trays should have been foreseen as a hazard in a bakery. Yes there should be a first aider and first aid kit available but it would not and should not contain any burn cream but it should contain cling film in this environment.

As has been said, cold water, cold water, and more cold water, and then some ...more cold water is the first aid treatment. Cling film can be used to keep out dirt and infection on the trip to the treatment room and it won't stick to the wound like a bandage will. A first aider is not a medical professional and cannot (or should not) apply creams or any pharmacological treatment of any kind. They will do no good, may cause infection, and just get in the way of treatment later. All doctors use on burns is petroleum jelly. it's all just to protect from infection.

Cool, Call (for help) Cover.

How can a bakery not have an appointed first aider who knows how to deal with burns for heaven's sake? Better ask Greg

I agree that it should be in the risk assessment especially considering the environment.  They should be able to ask to see the RA. 

I can only check whether there was a first aider present to deal with the situation. I presume not due to the advice they were given.

It will be interesting to ask the questions and find out what happens further down the line.

In answer to the questions;

- In a bakery, yes, the possibility of burns should be considered in a risk assessment.

- If the advice that was given (by a first aider or by someone in authority) was to go and buy something from Boots then the company should pay irrespective of whether that advice or the product bought was correct. Its hard to imagine the cost was significant!

Originally Posted by: Elfin Davy 09

Wilco612

You say the accident happened "in a well known bakery", but was it the bakery itself (ie the manufacturing site) or a shop ?  The reason for asking is that the arrangements are likely to differ significantly (even though arguably they shouldn't).  I would expect the main production site to have "bells and whistles" arrangements and these have probably been passed to their retail outlets in the form of a manual (that is probably gethering dust on a shelf somewhere).  I would expect the main site to have proper first aid cover on site, whereas the shops are likely to have a first aid kit (which somebody has maybe forgotten to replenish).  If the incident occurred at one of their retail outlets, then I can understand the accident response (even if I don't condone it).  If however the accident DID happen at the main production site, I'm with the others who have responded so far, their SHOULD have been something better in place than there appears to have been (both in terms of first aid AND risk assessment).

Is there really a question over who pays for the cream? Made me smile that did!