Major Burn Injuries Among Restaurant Workers in New York City

Major burns among food service workers appears to be an underappreciated source of morbidity and public expense in New York City. A retrospective study was conducted to identify workers requiring hospital admission over the past 3 years. Seventy-six restaurant workers (3.8% of all adult admissions) were identified. They averaged 33 years of age, and sustained burns with a mean %TBSA of 12.5, resulting in a mean length of stay of 12.8 days. Scalds predominated, with water/coffee burns most common (n = 29), followed by oil (n = 27), and soup/sauce burns (n = 12). Burns to the extremities occurred in 97% of patients. Surgery was required in 32 of 76 patients (42.1%). Oil burns were more likely to require surgery than aqueous scalds (59 vs 34%; P < 0.01). Hospitalization expenses averaged $1.13 million dollars per year. There were no mortalities. Restaurant-related major burns are a frequent occurrence, particularly scald injuries. Hospital care and further disability result in enormous publicly funded expenses. The morbidity and lost wages are a severe detriment to workers and their families. Greater public health awareness measures are warranted.