25 Years and 125,000 Scalds

While many advancements in preventing scald burns have been made over the past 25 years, the plumbing community still has a way to go.

It was over 25 years ago when the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission reported, "...children under five years old account for almost 30% of the 100,000 annual bathtub- and shower-related accidents and burns from scalding, resulting in over 70 deaths each year." The report's recommendation was, "Turn down the temperature on the control water heater to 120 degrees F." Another report was issued in 1979 by the U.S.C.P.S.C. that stated, "An estimated 2,600 scald injuries per year are caused by excessive hot water..." and "...water scald injuries are severe and sometimes fatal." With the warning issued twenty-five years ago, you would think that we should be in good shape with reduced incidents of hot tap water scaldings. The most recent report from the National Safe Kids Campaign stated that 23,620 cases of water scalds were treated in hospitals, with one-fourth of the burns from hot tap water, and previous reports from the NSKC stated the average bathtub scald burn covers 12% of the body with a full thickness third-degree burn. And, some 4,000-5,000 tap water scalds per year are still occurring!

The plumbing community can be proud of the great advancements it has made over the past 25 years in consumer safety and protection, through new products, product standards, plumbing codes and enforcement. However, the facts are clear that the plumbing industry has yet to see its proudest moments relating to tap water scald protection.