If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Step away from the fryer. Make sure someone shuts it down or watches it so no one else is hurt.
- 2Run cool — not ice-cold — water over the burn for an extended period.
- 3Call 911 for large or deep burns, burns on the face or eyes, burns that wrap around a hand or wrist, or if oil splashed into your eyes.
- 4Remove rings, watches and soaked clothing near the burn unless they are stuck to the skin.
- 5Do not pop blisters or put ice, butter, grease or kitchen remedies on it.
- 6Cover loosely with clean plastic wrap or a non-fluffy dressing.
- 7Tell your manager and report the burn in writing. Keep a copy.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
In a busy kitchen, people often run a burn under the tap and go back to the line. Hot oil burns can blister badly and worsen over the next day or two, so a written report is worth making even if you finish your shift.
Describe what happened plainly: dropping a basket, a splash from wet food, filtering or changing oil, a slippery floor near the fryer, or a fryer that was overfilled. Your employer generally passes the report to its insurer or claims administrator. Ask for the claim number.
Deadlines to report and file vary by state. Check with your state's workers' compensation agency as soon as possible.
Take dated photos of the burn as it changes. Keep receipts for dressings and supplies, and note missed shifts and lost tips or hours.
Getting medical care
Urgent care or occupational medicine can evaluate many smaller burns; larger or deeper burns may need emergency care or a burn specialist. A licensed clinician decides what is appropriate after an evaluation.
Tell the clinician it was hot cooking oil and that it happened at work. Mention any burn near your eyes. Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first, so ask your manager or adjuster.
If you are prescribed medication or burn dressings, ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Many can be filled nearby or delivered to your home.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- The burn is serious, scars, or limits movement of your hand, arm or face.
- Faulty fryer equipment, or a contractor who services it, may have contributed.
- Your claim is denied or delayed, or you are told the burn was your fault.
- You lose significant shifts and wages and payments are slow.
- You are pressured to keep working the line with an open burn.
- You were told not to report the burn.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Follow your clinician's dressing instructions and keep follow-up appointments. Watch for spreading redness, increasing pain, pus or fever.
Healing skin can be very sensitive to heat and grease. Ask your doctor about restrictions — staying off the fry station, gloves, or keeping the area covered — and ask your manager about prep or other tasks meanwhile.
Keep your manager and adjuster updated. Many kitchen workers feel nervous returning to the fryer; tell your clinician if that lingers.
Questions to ask
- Doctor: How deep is this burn, and how should I care for it at home?
- Doctor: When can I work near the fryer again?
- Manager: Can I work prep or another station while this heals?
- Manager: Can I get a copy of my injury report?
- Adjuster: What is my claim number?
- Adjuster: How are burn dressings and supplies handled?
- Attorney: The fryer had been malfunctioning. Does that change anything?
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I was burned by hot oil from a fryer?
Run cool water over the burn for an extended time, remove rings or a watch nearby, and cover it loosely. Call 911 for serious burns, burns on the face or eyes, or large areas. Then report it to your manager in writing.
Should I pop the blisters from a grease burn?
No, it is generally best not to pop burn blisters. They protect the skin underneath. Ask a clinician how to care for them.
Is a fryer burn covered by workers' comp?
Burns from kitchen equipment at work are often handled through workers' compensation, depending on your state and situation. Report it in writing even if you finish your shift. Check deadlines with your state's agency.
Why do hot oil burns seem worse than water burns?
Cooking oil gets much hotter than boiling water and clings to the skin, so it can burn deeper. That is why cooling it quickly matters. A clinician can check how deep it is.
What if hot oil got in my eye?
Call 911 and flush the eye gently with clean water while you wait. Eye burns need emergency care. Do not rub the eye.
Can I go back to the fry station with a burn?
That depends on the burn and your doctor's guidance. Ask for written restrictions. Your manager may be able to move you to another station.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).