Burns in the galley

Scenario: during beverage service, hot water or coffee spills and a crew member or passenger is burned on the hand or arm. Recognizing the burn means noting redness, swelling, blistering, or broken skin, and asking how it happened and how it feels.

Immediate safety first: stop the source of heat, move the person away from it, and remove jewelry or tight clothing near the burn before swelling starts — without pulling at anything stuck to the skin.

A widely recognized first-aid principle is cooling the burn with cool (not ice-cold) running water for several minutes, which can reduce pain and limit damage. This is general public safety knowledge, not a substitute for certified first-aid training.

What NOT to do: do not apply ice directly, butter, oil, toothpaste, or other home remedies to a burn, and do not break any blisters that form — these can trap heat, introduce infection, or worsen the injury.

Cover the cooled burn loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing if available, and treat larger burns, burns on the face/hands/airway area, or burns with deep damage as requiring urgent medical assistance and flight deck notification.

Communication matters throughout: inform senior crew, document what happened, and if a passenger was involved, follow the airline's reporting process for the incident.