Hot Tap Water and Scald Burns

Thousands of tap water scald burns occur annually.
ALL of these burns are preventable.

Did you know...

That a baby's skin is thinner than an adult's skin. A hot tub that feels great for Mom and Dad will scald baby's delicate skin. Water temperatures greater than 100 degrees F / 39 degrees C are dangerous to babies.

Prevent scalding in the bathroom:

NEVER leave a young child unattended in the bathroom or tub. Young children can turn the hot water on by themselves and older children can scald a younger child.

Before placing a child into the bath or getting into the tub yourself, test the temperature of the water by moving your hand rapidly through the water for several seconds or measure the temperature with a hot water gauge or mercury thermometer.

Use extreme caution if bathing small children in the sink. Many sinks have single-lever faucets which are easy for small children to turn on.

Adjust the thermostat setting on your water heater to produce a temperature of 120 degrees F or less. The lower the temperature, the lower the risk. (Your clothes and dishes will get clean at this setting!) If you rent, ask your landlord to lower the water temperature.

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