Each year, more than 112,000 people in this country enter emergency rooms with scald burns. Scalding is caused by spills, immersion, or other contact with hot water, food and hot beverages or steam. The greatest number of scald burns occur at home in the kitchen and bathroom. Accidents in the home involving excessively hot water cause approximately 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths each year. Elderly people and children under the age of five are the most vulnerable to these accidents. Older adults and very young children are more susceptible to burns and scalds because their skin is thinner. But everyone is at risk. Across all age groups, tap water scald injuries are one of the leading causes of serious burn injuries. The temperature of the hot water that one is exposed to has a tremendous impact on the type of injuries sustained. For example, 150 degree water can cause third degree burns in just one second of exposure. By contrast, it would take approximately 30 seconds of exposure to 130 degree water to suffer comparable injuries. To reduce or eliminate the risk of most tap water scald injuries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urges all users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, it would take 8 minutes of exposure to receive second degree burns and 10 minutes for third degree burns. Because of the serious harm that hot water can cause, one should always be extremely careful when using hot water. Even simple safety steps can help prevent an accident. For instance, one should always hand-test hot water before using it, especially when bathing children and infants. If possible, measure the water temperature with a thermometer. 100 degrees is recommended for infants. Children should never be left unsupervised in the bathroom -- even a few seconds left alone could result in serious injuries. Bathroom faucet valves can also be installed so they are out of the reach of young children. Hot water safety devices can also be installed on the bathtub. Various procedures exist for lowering water temperatures in the home. For example, if you have an electric water heater, you can call your local electric company to adjust the thermostat. Some companies even offer this service at no charge. Another step that can be taken is to install a tempering valve in the water line, which leads from the water heater to the bathroom. Set the temperature at 120 degrees. This valve has the potential of totally eliminating the risk of scalding injuries for hot tap water. Immediate treatment should be given to anyone who suffers a scalding burn. Quickly remove any clothing that could keep the hot liquid in contact with the skin and cause further burning. Immerse the burn in cool water immediately for 10 to 15 minutes to stop the burning process and reduce pain. Do not apply ice since it may increase tissue damage. Never put ointments, butter or anything greasy on a burn since these may retain heat and cause infection. Seek immediate medical treatment for any serious burn. Many of the above-mentioned safety steps are easy and inexpensive to perform. And they can prevent numerous accidents. For instance, our firm recently handled a case where a child was scalded while taking a shower when the water temperature suddenly and without warning spiked and the resulting scalding hot water caused second and third degree burns over 15% of her body. This accident could have been avoided if the company that serviced the hot water system had properly installed the mixing valve (a $40 part that mixes together hot and cold water to a designated safe temperature) in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Both the service company and the landlord settled the case for $1.5 million. |
