A study of the prevention of hot tapwater burns

A 4-year retrospective study of hot tapwater scalds admitted to Mount Vernon Hospital Burns Unit suggested that the three high-risk groups are young children, the elderly and the mentally and physically handicapped. A household survey was conducted of 60 homes inhabited by people over 70 years of age and 60 homes inhabited by families with toddlers to identify what measures could be taken to prevent hot tapwater scalds. The survey showed that over half of the old people did not have adequate bathing aids and that one-third of all the homes visited had a hot tapwater temperature greater than 60 degrees C, which is the temperature recommended by British Building Services Engineers. The survey also revealed that 50 per cent of the immersion heaters and 25 per cent of the gas boiler central heating systems produced an excessively high hot tapwater temperature. The study thus indicated that both the wider provision of bathing aids to the elderly and a nationwide programme to update old inefficient immersion heater and gas boiler central heating systems would reduce the risk of hot tapwater scalds. The installation of a 'thermoscopic' mixing valve, pre-set and locked at 43 degrees C, at bath and shower outlets can totally eliminate the risk of hot tapwater scalds. At present it is not a feasible option to install these valves in every household, but there is a strong case for installing them in hospitals and residential homes for paediatric, geriatric and mentally/physically handicapped patients.