RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
April 13, 2007
ACTION TO CUT BATH WATER SCALDS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
The horrific consequences of hot bath water scalds to children and the need for action to prevent them will be highlighted in a campaign starting in Northern Ireland next week.
RoSPA Northern Ireland, in association with Home Accident Prevention Northern Ireland, will launch the Hot Water Burns Like Fire campaign in the region at a seminar on Tuesday (April 17).
Hot bath water severely scalds 600 people in the UK each year, with three quarters of the seriously injured victims being under the age of five, and it is estimated that 15 older people die each year as a result of a hot bath water accident.
Water can be delivered to bath taps at dangerously high temperatures – up to 70°C in some cases.
The Hot Water Burns Like Fire campaign is calling for Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMVs) to be fitted in all new and refurbished homes to set bath tap water temperature to a maximum of 48°C. TMVs became mandatory in new and refurbished homes in Scotland last year, but there has not yet been a change in regulations covering the rest of the UK.
Advice for preventing scalds, including from hot drinks and saucepans, will also be shared as part of the campaign, which is the theme of Northern Ireland’s Home Accident Prevention Week beginning on April 23.
High-profile speakers at the seminar at Malone House, Belfast, include Carolyn Cripps, Director of the Children’s Fire and Burn Trust, who will present the case for policy changes. Brendan Fogarty, a plastic surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, will talk about the cost of not preventing scalds.
Janice Bisp, Head of RoSPA NI, said: “Scalds are a serious issue, especially among young children and older people, and hot bath water is responsible for some of the most severe injuries and even deaths.
“However, these accidents are preventable and this is a crucial message we want to share with the people of Northern Ireland through the Hot Water Burns Like Fire campaign.”
Warner Kirkpatrick, Chairman of HAP NI, said: “Members of our accident prevention network will be visiting children and parent groups to give out posters, leaflets and valuable injury prevention advice for avoiding bath scalds.
“The advice includes: when running a bath, always run cold water before hot, and carefully test the water temperature with your elbow. Also, remember to keep hot drinks out of the reach of children and position saucepan handles so they cannot be pulled down.”
Visit www.rospa.com/homesafety/ for more information on preventing home injuries or call the RoSPA NI office on 02890 501160.
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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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