Grease burns at fast-food restaurants. Adolescents at risk.

Intermountain Burn Center and Utah State Insurance Fund industrial records were reviewed to determine the incidence and consequences of grease burns among teenagers employed at fast-food restaurants. Burn center records reveal that 10 patients were admitted between 1977 and 1985, and that nine patients required surgery with mean burn care costs of $7389 per patient. State Insurance Fund records demonstrate that 81 grease-burn injuries were reported from 1982 through 1985, at an average burn care cost of $660 per patient. Causes of burn wounds included adding, filtering, or removing hot grease, dropping objects into hot grease, slipping on the floor, cleaning the grill or fryer, and splashing hot grease during cooking. Those treated as outpatients were off from work for as long as 10 days. These data identify an adolescent population at risk for work-related burn injury in fast-food restaurants.