Did you know that a hair straightener can get hot enough to fry an egg? Check out safety information on hair straighteners from Queensland Office of Fair Trading.
Hazards
The plates on hair straighteners can heat up to more than 200 degrees in under 10 minutes and can take more than 30 minutes to cool down to a safe temperature.
It is during this time that an increasing number of children are picking up, sitting on or standing on the hair straightener causing injuries ranging from superficial burns to severe, full thickness burns. A child´s skin is much thinner than an adult´s so these types of burns can cause permanent scarring.
Injury statistics
Each week, one child in Queensland alone, suffers serious burns from hair straighteners.
Straight off, straight out of reach! - Safety tips
You can adopt a few simple strategies to minimise the risk of burns.
- Straight off - Switch off after use.
- Straight up and away - Put straightener out of reach, wait for the plates to cool and then put away.
More information
- Visit Queensland's information site on hair straighteners: www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au/hair-straighteners-childhood-burns.htm.
- Download a copy of Queensland Office of Fair Trading's Straight out of reach Hair straightener safety poster to distribute around your business or community group to inform parents of the danger.