National Burn Awareness Week 2026: Advancing Workplace Burn Prevention
Monday, February 09, 2026
The American Burn Association’s National Burn Awareness Week (NBAW) 2026 focused national attention on an often-overlooked area of injury prevention: workplace burns. From healthcare and manufacturing to food service, construction, and public safety, workplaces across the country carry real burn risks. This year’s campaign highlighted practical prevention strategies, shared real-world stories, and reinforced the role education plays in keeping workers safe.
Thanks to the leadership of the ABA Burn Prevention Committee and the strong engagement of burn centers, safety advocates, and partner organizations, NBAW 2026 delivered meaningful reach, creative participation, and sustained momentum for burn prevention beyond a single week.
View Online Media Coverage and Social Posts - By the Numbers
These figures reflect a pilot analysis of social media activity and online media coverage related to NBAW 2026. Additional posts or coverage may not be fully captured in this initial snapshot.
Total estimated views: 80,977
10,552 Facebook views
65,325 Instagram views
4,631 – LinkedIn views
469 – X views
The hashtag #NBAW trended across platforms, allowing essential safety tips to reach a broader audience than ever before.
Some key highlights from the week’s social media engagement:
📈 Total Reach: Over 80,977 impressions
📊 Top-Performing Post: NBAW Welcome Video with over 1,800 views
🎥 Video Views: Over 12,000 views on ABA’s burn prevention tip videos
Website Engagement: Increased Access to Prevention Resources
The ABA website saw a notable increase in traffic during NBAW 2026 as individuals and organizations sought burn prevention resources, particularly materials focused on workplace safety. Engagement rose across key pages, with over 14K users accessing downloadable fact sheets, graphics, and educational tools. This sustained engagement reflects the ongoing demand for practical, shareable burn prevention information.
Workplace-Focused Engagement Across the Burn Care Community
NBAW 2026 saw strong participation from burn centers, employers, fire departments, and safety professionals, many of whom tailored outreach and education to workplace hazards. Community events, digital campaigns, and internal training emphasized prevention strategies for high-risk environments, underscoring that many burn injuries are preventable through awareness, preparation, and appropriate safeguards. From sharing industry-specific safety tips to highlighting survivor perspectives, the burn care community demonstrated how prevention messaging can be both practical and personal.
Social Media Momentum That Extends Beyond the Week
Social media once again played a central role in expanding NBAW’s reach. Posts across platforms amplified workplace burn-prevention messages, creative storytelling, and educational resources, helping the content reach audiences well beyond the burn care field.
ABA encourages the burn care community to continue sharing burn prevention messages year-round by tagging posts with #ameriburn. Content tagged with #ameriburn is featured on the ABA website's main page and across ABA social media channels, helping keep prevention awareness visible long after NBAW concludes.
Following ABA’s social media channels is another simple way to stay connected to burn prevention resources, campaign updates, and member-driven content throughout the year.
Recognizing Excellence: NBAW 2026 Social Media Video Award Recipients
The National Burn Awareness Week Social Media Video Awards continued in 2026, recognizing creative and impactful storytelling that advances burn prevention education. Selected by ABA’s Burn Prevention Committee, the 2026 award recipients demonstrated how engaging video content can raise awareness, inspire action, and connect with diverse audiences.
🏆 Self-Produced Video Winner:
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (@scvalleyhealthcare ) – “Adventures with Captain Cool”
🏆 Agency-Produced Video Winner:
Jackson Health System (@jacksonhealth ) – “Prevention Matters”
🏆 Honorable Mention:
Amber Shojaie and Colleen Cox – “The Workplace Burn Olympics”
These videos highlighted workplace risks in accessible, memorable ways, reinforcing prevention messages that resonate across industries.
Celebrating Creativity: NBAW 2026 Poster Contest Award Recipients
The NBAW Poster Contest continued to provide a platform for burn survivors and children to share messages of awareness, resilience, and prevention through art. Each submission reflected a unique perspective and underscored the importance of engaging younger voices in prevention education.
Congratulations to the 2026 poster contest award recipients:
🥇 1st Place: Shiran Katabi
🥈 2nd Place: Montserrat Morales Escobar
🥉 3rd Place: Jessica Smith
ABA extends sincere thanks to every participant who contributed artwork and shared their story through creativity and expression.
View All Poster Winners and Participants' Art
Sustaining Awareness Beyond NBAW
While National Burn Awareness Week provides a focused moment for education and outreach, prevention efforts continue year-round. Ongoing engagement through social media, workplace training, and community education helps reinforce safety practices and keeps burn prevention top of mind.
Sharing resources, tagging content with #ameriburn, and amplifying prevention messages throughout the year all contribute to a broader culture of safety.
Looking Ahead: Sharing Creativity and Continuing Engagement
Selected social media videos and poster contest submissions from NBAW 2026 will be highlighted at the ABA Annual Meeting this April, offering another opportunity to showcase creative approaches to burn prevention and awareness. Additional details about the next National Burn Awareness Week Poster Contest, including participation guidelines and timelines, will be released this spring.