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Unlike with burns from explosions or other hot sources, a chemical burn doesn't require an actual heat source to burn a person's skin and other parts of the body. Chemical burns are caused when a strong acid or a strong base makes contact with some part of the body and reacts causing a burn to occur.
Strong acids are chemicals and compounds that have a very low number on the pH scale. Strong bases are chemicals and compounds that have a very high number on the pH scale. Things that are neutral, like water, have a pH of 7. The scale ranges from 0 to 14.
Chemicals capable of burning people exist broadly. If a person is near a pool, many of the chemicals that keep pool water clear and give indoor pools their aroma are capable of burning the skin or other membranes of the body if contact is made. For example, chlorine can burn a person, if the concentration is strong enough, very easily. This is why it is not a good idea to swim in a pool that has been shocked recently. Hydrochloric acid is also capable of burning a person.
One danger of chemical burns that is less commonly seen with heat-related burns is the possibility of inhaling the chemicals. When a person breathes in air that has been contaminated by ammonia or a strong acid, the acid or base in the air can burn the lining of the nose, throat, and even a person's lungs. It is also, as a result, harder to stay away from chemicals that are released into the air than fire.
Contact a Boston Workers' Compensation Attorney
If you or a loved one has experienced chemical burns while at work, contact the Boston workers' compensation attorneys of Pulgini & Norton at 1-888-344-2046 to discuss your situation and to determine your legal actions.
