First-aid expert reveals how to stay safe this pancake day

From not flipping your pancakes as much to using wooden-handled pans: First aid expert reveals how to stay safe this Shrove Tuesday More than 250 people across the UK go to hospital with burns on pancake day Many are overly enthusiastic when flipping pancakes or hold hot pan handles Can lead to oil spills that are slippery, which can result in broken bones 

By Emma Hammett For Mailonline

Published: 15:05 GMT, 4 March 2019 | Updated: 15:06 GMT, 4 March 2019

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Pancake day is fun. 

Traditionally started to use up luxury ingredients prior to Lent, it has now become a great family celebration.

However, it is not as innocent as it may seem. 

It can lead to burns and has the potential to cause broken bones, according to first aid expert Emma Hammett.

Here, she reveals how to stay safe in the kitchen from burns and slips on Shrove Tuesday.

More than 250 people across the UK go to hospital with burns on pancake day (stock)

More than 250 people across the UK go to hospital with burns on pancake day (stock)

Why are burns more common on pancake day? 

The majority of injuries result from burns; sustained when cooking, flipping and eating the sizzling delicacies. 

From cooking with metal handled pans that get too hot over the flame, to getting too close to the flame and setting their clothes on fire. 

People are often overly optimistic in their ability to flip the pancakes, resulting in the pancake landing on their hands or arms. 

They then eagerly eat them when they are too hot, experiencing painful burns to the mouth and throat.

How do you treat a burn? 

If someone is burned, the burn should be cooled under cool running water for at least ten minutes (ideally 20). 

For burns to the mouth and throat, sip regular cool water, and contact the emergency services immediately if the burns are severe and the casualty experiences any difficulty breathing due to swelling. 

All burns should be assessed by a health professional.

If clothing is on fire they should Stop, Drop, Wrap and Roll – stay still to avoid fanning any flames, drop to the floor, wrap the area in something non-flammable and roll to smother the flames.

What other risks does pancake day have? 

Slipping on spilt fat is also a major cause of accidents. When tossing a pancake, it is inevitable that there will be some fat spillage, and this is

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