Scald Prevention

A scald is an injury caused by hot liquid or steam. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths occur in the home each year due to scalding from excessively hot tap water. The majority of these accidents involve older adults and children under the age of five.

People of all ages can be burned by liquid at 140 degrees Fahrenheit in as few as thirty seconds. It takes only five seconds for a young child to be injured by 140 degree liquid; and only one second at 160 degrees. According to a Home Safety Council survey of American parents, 71.5 percent of those surveyed did not know the correct setting for their hot water heater, 120 degrees F.

The Home Safety Council and H2otStop teamed up to educate families about safe hot water practices. Follow this simple advice from the Home Safety Council to help reduce the risk of scald injuries at home:

	Set your water heater at 120 degrees F or less or just below the medium setting.
	Test the water before your children get in the tub.
	When children are in the tub, watch them closely.
*	Babies and young children have delicate skin. Install special tub spouts and shower heads that prevent hot water burns.
	When drinking hot drinks, keep them away from the edge of tables and counters so children can not reach them. Put hot drinks and food in the middle of the table. Do not put hot drinks on low tables, where children can reach them. Avoid drinking hot drinks when you are holding a young child. Using a “commuter mug” with a tight-fitting lid can help reduce a hot spill if the beverage tips over. Treat a minor burn injury immediately with cool running water for 3-5 minutes. Do not apply ice, which can harm the skin. Do not apply butter or lotions because this can keep the skin temperature hot, increasing the injury. Apply a sterile bandage to the injured area. If the scald is serious, get medical treatment fast.
	Use heavy pot holders when cooking.
	Keep children away from the range when you are cooking. Test micro-waved and heated food for heat before feeding young children.
	Turn pot handles toward to back of the range.
	* Photo Courtesy of H2otStop