Quick Start Guide Natural Gas Utilities

SECTION 03: KEY SAFETY MESSAGES

Scalding from Excessively Hot Tap Water

Why Address This Issue? Excessively hot tap water causes approximately 2,600 burn injuries and 159 deaths each year. Most of these incidents involve children under 5 years old and adults over the age of 65 . Tap water scald burns are usually more severe than burns from hot liquid spills. Most tap water scalds occur in the bathtub and cover a larger portion of the body. It takes about a half a second for a baby to suffer a severe burn in 150°F water, versus four minutes in water at 120°F. Many variables can affect the water temperature at the tap: incoming water supply temperature, plumbing design, and the number of taps requiring water, such as showers and sinks, dishwashers, clothes washers, and other appliances.

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Developing a Public Safety Communications Program