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22 / THE SAFETY REPORT /FALL 2010

FINDING CHARLIE MORECRAFT

A Burn Survivor’s
TRUE STORY By Shelley McKown
As third-degree burned skin heals, it develops a thick, scabbed surface called
eschar. Around third-degree burns are usually first- and second-degree burns
where several large blisters develop and then rupture as they heal. Meanwhile, a
significant risk of infection sets in. Doctors often use a procedure called an escha-
rotomy to cut through the charred skin and blisters so the healthy tissue under-
neath can receive the blood flow it needs. Normally, there’s significant bleeding
during this process. For third-degree burn victims first entering the hospital, if
their main arteries are at risk of losing blood flow because of their burns, doctors
are often forced to perform this procedure to save the patient’s life; and there’s
not always time for enough pain medicine prior. Then again, burn victims will tell
you that it doesn’t matter how much morphine is injected. They say the pain is so
excruciating, that they have difficulty even finding the words to describe it. Burn
pain can be one of the most intense and prolonged types of pain and is difficult to
control because of its unique characteristic and changing patterns.
THESAFETYREPORT.COM / 23

Hydrotherapy is another method needed. Although they had daily safety shower was. Charlie never wore safety
used to treat burn victims. Known meetings, Charlie never worried about goggles. They weren’t attractive and
to many burn unit patients, “the tub safety procedures because they usually never fit right. He remembered the
room” or “the tanking room” can be countered the efficiency in getting the safety shower was a few blocks away
described as a sterile room with lower- job done. As a good worker, he want- so he started moving in that direction.
ing cranes above several stainless steel ed to always finish his tasks on time or One of Exxon’s standard safety poli-
bathtubs filled with 200 gallons of early. “For fifteen of the twenty-seven cies is to never leave a vehicle running
Clorox, antibiotics and water. This room years that I worked at Exxon, I thought, at a job site because it’s considered an
is where the cleaning and debridement ‘Accidents don’t happen to me, they ignition source. As Charlie continued
of skin takes place. For third-degree happen to the other guy,’” Charlie
burns to become healthy skin again, said. Unfortunately, this is a common
this skin scrubbing doesn’t happen just perception in many workplaces.
once, it happens every day for continu- It was a hot, humid day in August
ous months. One burn patient describes
it as “surreal amounts of pain, almost
1980, and Charlie was working his
last shift before leaving for his fam-
For fifteen
awe, as if they were taking ladies’ stock- ily beach vacation with his wife and of the twenty-
ings off of my arms and legs, only, it was
my own skin.” After awhile, everyone ly-
two daughters. He received a call on
his radio asking him to drive out to seven years that
ing in the hospital rooms beyond come
to fear this room. Morphine is kept in a
one of the refinery’s manifolds and
change out a hammer blank. In lay-
I worked at Exx-
locked chest nearby, in dozens of cold
vials, and medical staff refill the chest
man terms, they were asking him to
relieve the excess chemical from an
on, I thought,
every week. area where pipelines come together ‘Accidents don’t
Emotional distress on burn victims and remove a plank. “It was a job
is significant. For many third-degree that I had done 1,000 times before,” happen to me,
burn victims, their lives are dramatically
altered after they “go up,” and trying to
Charlie said. He expected the valves
to leak, since they were old, and he they happen to
return to a normal life is very difficult.
Then you find the diamond in the
knew he’d probably never see the
day where Exxon replaced them
the other guy.’
rough…a third-degree burn victim who with new valves that wouldn’t leak.
has taken burn prevention and safety Exxon had established a procedure
advocacy to a new level. Although you to turn off the valves safely, even while toward the safety shower and gained
may not remember his name 15 years leaking, but this would take Charlie some of his vision back, he suddenly
from now, you’ll never forget his story. twice the amount of time. Like most remembered he had left his truck run-
During one of his presentations, a man workers, he chose to do it the way he ning. He remembered this because he
stood up from the audience and said, always had and ignore the new safety had just run past it. “I could see it com-
“Charlie - I heard you speak fifteen procedure. As he continued to turn the ing. I could feel it coming,” he said.
years ago and you have been keep- valves, there was significant leaking. The fumes from his chemical soaked
ing me safe ever since.” Allow me to When many chemicals leak, there are clothes traveled to his truck, and be-
introduce you to Charlie Morecraft. vapors surrounding the liquid, and not fore he knew it the truck exploded, the
Charlie worked in an Exxon oil refin- always ones that you can see. Now refinery was on fire, and so was he.
ery for twenty-seven years. He was an Charlie was covered in both. When Charlie was covered head to toe in
operator who refined raw products into he pulled the blank out of place, he flames.
gasoline. In the eyes of his manage- heard a burst, and a surge of chemi- He put himself out in a nearby water
ment, Charlie was a good worker. cal splashed up into his eyes. He was puddle and, unbelievably, he went
He worked hard, met his marks, and temporarily blinded as he stood there right back to work trying to shut off
often agreed to work overtime shifts if trying to remember where the safety valves as half the refinery was on fire
24 / THE SAFETY REPORT / FALL 2010

and explosions were all around him. protocol. I remember when I burned • Fire and burn injuries represent $7.5
Emergency crews eventually arrived, ONE of my fingers on a skillet, just a billion in costs each year
and Charlie remembers wondering first degree burn, and I couldn’t focus • Deaths from fires and burns are the
why they were all so emotional and on anything until the pain stopped. I fifth most common cause of uninten-
concerned when they saw him. They can’t even imagine the agony Charlie tional injury deaths in the United States
say burn victims go into shock at first. endured. Charlie survived “the tanking According to the Journal of Burn
Care &
Rehabilita-
tion, burns
are one of
the most
expensive
catastrophic
injuries to
treat. For
example,
a burn of
30% total
body area
can cost
as much as
$200,000 in
It wasn’t until he was inside the ambu- room” every morning for three months initial hospitalization costs. For exten-
lance when he looked at his arms. They and says he doesn’t remember what sive burns, there are additional costs for
were charcoal black with bubbling skin. was worse: the hour countdown until repeat admission, reconstruction and
Then the pain set in. He began praying his next debridement or the screams rehabilitation to repair the permanent
to God to just let him die. of the other burn unit patients as they disfigurement. In the United States, ap-
Over 50% of Charlie’s body was went through their own. Of the twelve proximately 2.4 million burn injuries are
covered in third-degree burns. Where burn unit patients he was with, nine of reported per year. Between 8,000 and
his clothing had burned off, the burns them died. With over fifty surgeries, 12,000 of patients with burns die, and
were to his bones. both orthopaedic and plastic, Char- approximately one million will sustain
I believe Charlie is the one of the lie has survived years of excruciating substantial disabilities resulting from
most effective occupational and per- medical treatments plus the drastic their burn injuries.
sonal safety presenters in the world. effect it had on his family. “I lived. If I Thank you, Charlie, for allowing me
His DVD’s are mandatory in hundreds can leave anything else with you -- it is to tell your story. For the readers, if you
of safety training programs and ori- that you have that same opportunity,” need more of a reason to always wear
entations as well as OSHA required he said. For more information, you can safety goggles or follow safety protocol
training. He has done thousands of contact Charlie through his website at work or at home, I’d suggest you
speeches across the world on safety www.charliemorecraft.com. Google “third degree burns” and just
best practices. You can hear a pin drop According to the Centers for Disease one photo image should do the job.
no matter how large the audience is as Control and Prevention:
Charlie describes for you his extensive • Burn accident statistics show that at — Shelley McKown oversees the EHS Com-
pliance Division for ICertainty INC and is a
injuries from taking short cuts on the least 50% of all burn accidents can be safety advocate who promotes her cause at
job and not following proper safety prevented twitter.com/coolsafetychic.

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