Division Table 3 Severity of injury
United Kingdom
| Type of injury | Severity of injury | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Laceration, cut | Superficial | External (deep) (> 10 cm long on body) (> 5 cm long on face) requiring stitches Tendon or into joint White of eye or cornea | Optic nerve Neck artery Trachea Internal organs | Bronchial tube Oesophagus Aorta Spinal cord (low) Deep laceration of internal organs Severed high spinal cord Brain (severe lesion/ dysfunction) |
| Bruising (abrasion/ contusion, swelling, oedema) | Superficial ≤ 25 cm2 on face ≤ 50 cm2 on body | Major > 25 cm2 on face > 50 cm2 on body | Trachea Internal organs (minor) Heart Brain Lung, with blood or air in chest | Brain stem Spinal cord causing paralysis |
| Concussion | — | Very short unconsciousness (minutes) | Prolonged unconsciousness | Coma |
| Entrapment/ pinching | Minor pinching | — | (Use as appropriate the final outcomes of bruising, crushing, fracture, dislocation, amputation, as applicable.) | (Same outcome as for suffocation/ strangulation.) |
| Sprain, strain, musculoskeletal disorder | Extremities Joints Spine (no dislocation or fracture) | Knee ligaments strain | Ligament or tendon rupture/tear Muscle tear Whiplash | — |
| Dislocation | — | Extremities (finger, toe, hand, foot) Elbow Jaw Loosening of tooth | Ankle Wrist Shoulder Hip Knee Spine | Spinal column |
| Fracture | — | Extremities (finger, toe, hand, foot) Wrist Arm Rib Sternum Nose Tooth Jaw Bones around eye | Ankle Leg (femur and lower leg) Hip Thigh Skull Spine (minor compression fracture) Jaw (severe) Larynx Multiple rib fractures Blood or air in chest | Neck Spinal column |
| Crushing | — | — | Extremities (fingers, toe, hand, foot) Elbow Ankle Wrist Forearm Leg Shoulder Trachea Larynx Pelvis | Spinal cord Mid-low neck Chest (massive crushing) Brain stem |
| Amputation | — | — | Finger(s) Toe(s) Hand Foot (Part of) Arm Leg Eye | Both extremities |
| Piercing, puncturing | Limited depth, only skin involved | Deeper than skin Abdominal wall (no organ involvement) | Eye Internal organs Chest wall | Aorta Heart Bronchial tube Deep injuries in organs (liver, kidney, bowel, etc.) |
| Ingestion | — | — | Internal organ injury (Refer also to internal airway obstruction where the ingested object gets stuck high in the oesophagus.) | Permanent damage to internal organ |
| Internal air way obstruction | — | — | Oxygen flow to brain blocked without permanent consequences | Oxygen flow to brain blocked with permanent consequences |
| Suffocation/ Strangulation | — | — | Oxygen flow to brain blocked without permanent consequences | Fatal suffocation/ strangulation |
| Submersion/ Drowning | — | — | — | Fatal drowning |
| Burn/Scald (by heat, cold, or chemical substance) | 1°, up to 100 % of body surface 2°, < 6 % of body surface | 2°, 6-15 % of body surface | 2°, 16-35 % of body surface, or 3°, up to 35 % of body surface Inhalation burn | 2° or 3°, > 35 % of body surface Inhalation burn requiring respiratory assistance |
| Electric shock | (See also under burns as electric current can cause burns.) | Local effects (temporary cramp or muscle paralysis) | — | Electrocution |
| Neurological disorders | — | — | Triggered epileptic seizure | — |
| Eye injury, foreign body in eye | Temporary pain in eye without need for treatment | Temporary loss of sight | Partial loss of sight Permanent loss of sight (one eye) | Permanent loss of sight (both eyes) |
| Hearing injury, foreign body in ear | Temporary pain in ear without need for treatment | Temporary impairment of hearing | Partial loss of hearing Complete loss of hearing (one ear) | Complete loss of hearing (both ears) |
| Poisoning from substances (ingestion, inhalation, dermal) | Diarrhoea, vomiting, local symptoms | Reversible damage to internal organs, e.g. liver, kidney, slight haemolytic anaemia | Irreversible damage to internal organs, e.g. oesophagus, stomach, liver, kidney, haemolytic anaemia, reversible damage to nerve system | Irreversible damage to nerve system Fatality |
| Irritation, dermatitis, inflammation or corrosive effect of substances (inhalation, dermal) | Local slight irritation | Reversible eye damage Reversible systemic effects Inflammatory effects | Lungs, respiratory insufficiency, chemical pneumonia Irreversible systemic effects Partial loss of sight Corrosive effects | Lungs, requiring respiratory assistance Asphyxia |
| Allergic reaction or sensitisation | Mild or local allergic reaction | Allergic reaction, widespread allergic contact dermatitis | Strong sensitisation, provoking allergies to multiple substances | Anaphylactic reaction, shock Fatality |
| Long-term damage from contact with substances or from exposure to radiation | Diarrhoea, vomiting, local symptoms | Reversible damage to internal organs, e.g. liver, kidney, slight haemolytic anaemia | Damage to nervous system, e.g. Organic Psycho Syndrome (OPS; also called Chronic Toxic Encephalopathy, also known as ‘painters' disease’). Irreversible damage to internal organs, e.g. oesophagus, stomach, liver, kidney, haemolytic anaemia, reversible damage to nervous system | Cancer (leukaemia) Effects on reproduction Effects on offspring CNS depression |
| Microbiological infection | Reversible damage | Irreversible effects | Infection requiring prolonged hospitalisation, antibiotics-resistant organisms Fatality | |
Notes on Division
Footnotes
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If you need more information on the Risk Assessment method for harmonised products (both consumer and professional products) in relation to broader categories of public risks protected under EU harmonisation legislation, please refer to Part I, Chapter 5.3.