RoSPA’s Key Campaign
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Hot bath water severely scalds 600 people in the UK each year.
Three quarters of these seriously injured victims are children under the age of five, many of them bearing the scars of their accident for the rest of their lives. Older people are also vulnerable and it is estimated that 15 pensioners die each year as a result of a hot bath water accident. But steps can be taken to prevent more people suffering in this way.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is appealing for your help.
The problem
- Bath water can be delivered to taps at dangerously high temperatures – as much as 70°C in many cases.
- Scalding can occur at water temperatures above 45°C.
- At 50°C, adults can suffer third degree burns after five minutes and children after less than two minutes.
- At 60°C, the time drops to 5.4 seconds for adults and 1.5 seconds for children.
- At 70°C, it takes just 1 second for adults to suffer third degree burns and 0.27 seconds for children.
- Children and older people are more susceptible to scalds due to their sensitive skin. Other factors also play a part. Some children have accidentally slipped into baths or turned on hot taps unaware of the risk they pose. Older people might have difficulty getting out of a bath that is too hot.
A solution
Raising awareness of the risks posed by hot bath water and sharing injury prevention advice, such as always running cold water before hot and carefully testing water temperature before getting into a bath, is crucial in reducing the number of scalds.
RoSPA also recommends the use of Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMVs) to set bath tap water temperature to a maximum of 48°C. TMVs, which blend hot and cold water, became mandatory in new and refurbished homes in Scotland in 2006 and similar legislation has also been passed in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. However, there has not yet been a change in regulations covering the rest of the UK.
RoSPA would like to see these regulations updated. We also want to raise awareness of the benefits of fitting TMVs, which cost around £80.
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| Click here to Donate to RoSPA |
How you can help
RoSPA was involved in the campaign to get the law changed in Scotland to make TMVs mandatory in new and refurbished homes and is continuing to call for regulations covering the rest of the UK to be brought into line. The Society was also responsible for delivering the first pilot project to install TMVs in disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland.
A key campaign for RoSPA in 2007 was to increase TMV installations in homes across the UK.
By donating to RoSPA you will be supporting us in our mission, helping us to save more lives through this and other important campaigns.
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RoSPA is a registered charity: Registered Charity No: 207823 Patron: Her Majesty the Queen RoSPA Head Office: Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK |
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