The 63-year-old meatworker slipped into a tub of hot water, lost an estimated nine per cent of his skin and can hardly sit.

Yet he expects to return to work after barely a fortnight convalescing.

"They said I didn't even scream when I fell in," Mr Bryce told The Standard this week.

"I remember saying to workmates, 'quick, get me out of here'.

"The doctor told me I'm pretty tough."

He finds it hard to stand or sit and spends much of his recovery time lying on his bed at home.

"I'm tossing and turning every five minutes and taking strong painkillers," he explained.

"But it's healing well."

Mr Bryce, who has worked at Midfield's Warrnambool abattoir for 15 years, praised the quick actions of workmates who hosed him down with cold water after the accident.

"I was given painkillers and taken to hospital by ambulance," he said.

"Doctors said my burns were only superficial.

"People said I was very lucky."

He suffered burns to his shoulder, back, buttocks and elbow.

WorkSafe has investigated the June 24 accident.

Mr Bryce said it happened when he missed his footing and fell into a plastic container of hot water used for washing down the sheep killing section of the McMeekin Road factory.