Would you take time off of work for a hand burn?

[missionmarine]

I work in a physically active job, using my hands/arms a lot.

I can self certify for a week.

It’s pretty bad, needs bandaging up and got some stuff from the pharmacy who thinks a GP appointment most likely is needed.

Just curious if it’s taking the piss?? Thanks.

not taking the piss. you have a physical job that you cannot physically do.

Lighter duties doesn't mean working on a till . I was a nurse but when I couldn't work because I needed shoulder surgery I went in and did filing , stocking up trolleys etc . I'm sure they would either find something or send you home , their decision .

I go to work unless Im so Ill I can't get there or have something contagious. I hate letting people down.

It would not be unreasonable to go to minor injuries unit for this...if you are having difficulty opening/ closing your hand. It is possible to lose function of your hand with hand injuries like this (depending on site/area/depth of the burn).

Sorry that's not what you asked!

Well it's not a physical job in the sense that op can't do any of it. We used to have a lady with one arm work in my shop if she can do it........

Op you really should go in, explain what's happened and what it's preventing you from doing, and what you think you could do, and take it from there.

Well just don’t go in then. If you can’t do your job and there’s no alternative duties then it’s a no brainier. I can’t tell you “like what “ because I don’t know exactly what your job entails

Oh here comes the lady with one arm who carries deliveries off a lorry? I don’t work in a shop, I work in a warehouse of a shop. They are 2 very different roles. I don’t mind people commenting that there are other roles I could do and to go in, I’ll take that advice, but people who are saying you can do it with one arm and they have people in their shop who are disabled, etc. the roles are 2 different things. It’s literally like comparing a runner with a swimmer.

She was actually fucking ace at her job and as it was a very large shop, took deliveries that would have been very sizeable (I have also worked in a wh environment so have an ideA). And did it amazingly well. So yes, pretty similar tbh.

A retail warehouse will have lots of other roles that can be done. If not you'll be sent home

I don’t work in a shop, I work in a warehouse of a shop. They are 2 very different roles.

Just because it isn’t your official job title to do light duties doesn’t mean to say you cant do them. You’re just doing it temporarily while your hand gets better. At least you’re continuing to contribute to their business.

I had a third degree burn on my palm. I took two days off. My skin was so damaged they had to remove more in A&E. I worked in childcare at the time.

I would get it looked at either by the GP or minor injuries. They may have advice as to whether your particular job is do-able. Then I would phone/go in to work and see if they were able to give me alternative or reduced duties for whatever time period the doctor had given for recovery.

I don't think it's fair to say if you think it might be perceived as taking the piss then you aren't ill enough to be off. Sometimes these thoughts are more to do with my people's anxiety about others' opinions of them. I used to work with people who were really unpleasant about staff who were genuinely very poorly and off work, saying they were skiving. It made me very paranoid about having time off for sickness and I'd always second guess my decision to be off. Even when I was in hospital for several days I returned to work feeling like people thought I was over-exaggerating and skiving.

Is it safe for you to travel in? I couldn’t drive and had to get bandages changed every other day.

You need to get it checked out. Even small hand burns need medical attention (unless tiny, burnt finger on grill, just top layer, type). Two reasons:

• Hand function is obviously crucial, and so anything that could affect muscles, nerves, ligaments, needs to be checked.
• Infection is far more likely because hands tend to get dirtier.

DS burnt three fingers on a grill. It looked insignificant. Two were mild burns (and so were painful), the third finger had a very small burn, a few mm wide, about 1cm long, but full thickness (went leathery and charred). It needed a hospital visit, daily clean dressings, and check ups every few days for a couple of weeks after. We were also warned that you can get blood poisoning a week or so later, and so watch out for any sign of sepsis.

I'd go to your GP and ask their opinion. You don't get sick notes these days but you can get fit notes which set out the type of duties you could safely cover. If work can't provide these alternative duties then you must be sent home.

Dh scaled his hand last Sunday (boiling water cooking rice and tripped) his burn is horrific. He's having his burn dressed every 48 hours at the local minor injuries unit. He's managed to go to work. It is heavily bandaged, and his job although manual he's managed. I have told him if it gets infected he will not be going.

Get it checked at miu and see what they say.

It entirely depends how you feel, if you are in pain or there is a risk of infection then get signed off and get your hand better. If you feel you are up to light duties that don’t entail lifting with a painful hand, then you will be best placed to know if that’s a possibility. Don’t be a hero, just get it better

Weirdly, I scalded my hand on the work kettle only two weeks ago and have been putting Bio Oil on it. It’s a bugger, and I’m not having to lug boxes around. But i kept pulling my cardigan sleeve down because I was self conscious about it. Seems to be better after the Bio oil treatment I can recommend it!