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The events of December 24, 2012 have been seared into the lives of everyone at ABC as, just moments before the celebration of Christmas was to begin, tragedy struck that day when a tumbler full of hot chocolate tipped, spilling its boiling contents over a young girl, causing incredibly painful and severe burns that, ultimately, resulted in the loss of her life. This traumatic event highlights the need for policies and procedures that are designed to limit the possibility of such events from occurring.
An analysis of the accident reveals that a combination of human and environmental factors all contributed to the unfortunate outcome. At a mechanical level, the hot chocolate was heated to a temperature just below boiling, resulting in the liquid reaching boiling point easily when the cup it was served in was tilted too far in one direction. Further analysis revealed that the cup that the hot chocolate was served in was designed to be easily tipped – precisely the kind of cup which would be used in a high volume location. The tumbler that was used lacked any form of lid, exposing the hot liquid to the risks of spilling.
From a human standpoint, the victim of the accident was limited in her own ability to prevent the accident. She was young, and lacked the experience and knowledge of potential risks that a cup of hot liquid could pose to her body. Additionally, it appears that the environment of the event had some influence, as the accident occurred in a high volume, busy area with a large crowd of children. The presence of such a large and unruly crowd of children put pressure on servers of food and drinks to be quick and efficient, creating a situation in which proper safety procedures were ignored.
The detailed analysis of the accident reveals that it could have been avoided by implementing safety procedures such as ensuring that the cups used for serving hot liquids are designed to be stable and that only properly trained staff are allowed to serve them. Additionally, it would also be beneficial to keep an eye on any unruly children and ensure that they remain in their seats while food and drinks are being served, as this could have prevented the accident in this particular case.
All accidents should be taken seriously, and those associated with ABC will continue to strive to ensure that such tragic events are not repeated. It is hoped that the evaluation of the accident and the implementation of the necessary safety procedures will help to make sure that accidents of this nature are never repeated. It is also hoped that this tragedy will serve as a reminder of the risks of improperly supervised environments, particularly those involving high volume, busy areas.
