Preventing Tap Water Scald Injuries

Hot tap water is well known to cause scalding injuries. But finding ways to prevent these injuries has not been easy. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health.

Hot tap water scald injuries are the second leading cause of serious burns among all age groups in the U.S. A host of radio and TV programs have urged home owners to turn down the temperature on hot water heaters; soap makers have products that work well in warm or cold water; and yet, according to the Journal of Emergency Medicine educational measures have not decreased the number of scald injuries.

What some experts think might help is to emphasis on thermoregulation devices which can be built into new plumbing lines or retrofitted into existing ones. One such device uses a spring housed in an anti-scald cartridge. If tap water temperature rises above 110F, the spring expands and reduces the flow of water until the temperature of the water comes down.

With traditional water heater settings tap water scalds are a constant risk because the water temperature needs only to reach 140F and contact the skin for about 10 seconds to cause a burn. If consumers are unable or unwilling to make manual adjustments to prevent scalding water injuries, a new and burgeoning industry in thermoregulation devices may be at least part of the answer. For a copy of this script and journal reference, access our web site, speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, for CBS News Radio.

Ref: American Family Physician. Feb. 2, 1994