First aid for burns caused by hot-melt adhesive: tips and safety precautions

Hot-melt adhesive is the most popular and versatile solution to glue consumer goods’ packaging. Besides, hot-melt adhesives are applied in printing, woodworking, structural assembly and many other areas. To make production environment safe when using hot-melt adhesives, it is important to keep the equipment in operating condition and ensure the protection of workers in order to avoid work-related injuries.

Hot-melt adhesives are usually harmless for people until they are heated to a melting condition, since a hot-melt liquid make cause severe burns. Hot-melt glue guns may also cause injuries in everyday life. Normally, hot-melt adhesives are heated up to reach a temperature of 200˚С, and they may burn your skin if safety rules are ignored.

First aid steps if you get burned by hot-melt adhesive

• Cool down your skin as quick as possible. For this purpose, keep the burned skin under warm running water for at least 10-15 minutes to eliminate the heating and soothe the skin. Remove jewelry or watches from the affected area to prevent compression in case of swelling.
• Do not apply ice or a cold compress to the affected area. If you get burned with hot adhesive, never treat this kind of a burn with cold or icy water, as it may cause even more damage to the skin. Do not burst the blisters.
• Removing adhesive residues is possible only if they come off easily. Do not make excessive efforts when you try to remove the adhesive residues. Reflexive attempt to peel off the adhesive often results in its spreading further across the skin and causing even bigger burns. Let the hot adhesive cool down so that it stops harming the skin. If the adhesive is firmly stuck to the skin, seek medical attention.
• Applying a bandage to the wound. As soon as the adhesive hardens, cover the burned area with a clean bandage or cotton cloth to prevent infection. Change the bandage regularly and check the burn for any signs of infection. Do not apply ointment, cream or oil to the affected area. Do not use a Band-Aid or a fleecy cloth.

Cases when you need to seek medical aid

Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention if the burn caused by hot adhesive is more severe that first-degree, with the following visual manifestations:

1. The skin has turned white or charred despite the fact that the wound is already cooled down and first aid is given.
2. The burn has caused liquid-filled blisters, as it is a sign of a second-degree burn.
3. If a burn gets infected, which is manifested by the following signs: hyperemia (redness) of the wound with an increasing area, which is accompanied by painful sensations.
4. If you have not been vaccinated against tetanus.

Additional tips for affected people

• Pain relief. If the pain is severe, you may take over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve symptoms. Follow the dosage instructions or consult your physician to be sure that the medication is taken correctly.

• Follow-up care. For several days, check the burned area for signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, pus, or persistent pain. Do not burst the blisters, as this increases the risk of infection.

• Long-term skin care.When the burn caused by a hot-melt adhesive heals, moisturize the skin with creams or lotions to reduce dryness and scarring. Protect the affected area of the skin from direct sunlight to prevent hyper-pigmentation.

Safety precautions

To ensure the safety of operators, it is important to know the basic precautions in working with hot-melt adhesives.

1. To prevent industrial and household injuries, strictly observe the operating temperature – its value is indicated in the adhesive’s technical data sheet. The application temperature of hot-melt adhesives is usually maintained in the range from 120˚C to 210˚C.
2. As a rule, accidents happen when the production line operators get distracted from the process. Please be alert and focused when filling hot-melt adhesive tanks or checking nozzles on the production line. This will reduce the risk of burns caused by hot adhesives.
3. Make sure that your operational area is safe, and there are no flammable materials around.
4. There must be a forced action exhaust hood mounted above the tank. Be sure to always switch it on to have the adhesive vapours removed, regularly check its operation and carry out maintenance.
5. Do not start working without PPE (personal protective equipment). This includes special protective sleeves (long–sleeved clothing is allowed as an alternative), gloves made of high-temperature resistant material, a face mask and protective shoes – they will prevent you from getting burned with hot adhesive. These recommendations are especially important during cleaning or draining the system, when the risk of injury is significantly higher.
6. Detailed Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are available for all hot-melt adhesives. They should be the key guiding principle for all the production line operators and maintenance personnel who work with hot-melt adhesives. The SDS documents also recommend the PPE that must be used in each product’s operation.

Maintaining the operability of the equipment for applying hot-melt adhesive

An important safety aspect is maintaining the equipment in good order and cleaning the production area from debris and adhesive residues. If the equipment is used or maintained improperly, this may affect the hot-melt adhesive’s operation and effectiveness. If you fail to carry out the preventive maintenance of the equipment regularly, the adhesive may become charred. Charred adhesive that sticks to the guide of the melt tank will reduce the efficiency of the equipment, causing clogging of filters and nozzles.

Following all the above recommendations, you will not only be able to effectively treat burns caused by hot-melt adhesives, but also prevent their occurrence, provided you adhere to simple safety rules. Take care of yourself and always be cautious when using hot-melt adhesive application equipment! If you have any questions about choosing, purchasing or using hot-melt adhesives, please contact our hotline: +38 (050) 324 06 36;+38 (068) 766 06 36.