Injury and deaths because of uncontrolled hot water are very common, and the statistics are truly staggering. Across the board, (children & adults) scalds are the most common cause of burn injury, representing 43% of acute burn injuries. Many of the injuries are caused by scalding in the bathroom by dangerously hot water from taps and showers.
Water at temperatures of 70°C (30°C below that of a boiling kettle) will cause a ‘deep burn’ in just ONE SECOND.
Here are three facts about burns and scalds that TMV’s can prevent:
- Medical professionals count bath water scalds among the worst injuries that a child can suffer.
- Uncontrolled hot water can cause severe facial and bodily scarring which can require years, sometimes a lifetime, of painful skin grafts.
- A scald over more than 20% of the body, not uncommon if a child falls into a bath of hot water, has the same impact as being hit by a bus.
These horrific scalding accidents in the bathroom can be prevented by installing a Thermostatic Mixing Valve or TMV. Whether it is a separate valve or an integral part of the tap or shower body, the device will control hot water to a maximum of 43°C as it flows from the fitting.
Simple and relatively inexpensive, TMVs – can be fitted in both new installations or retrospectively, and if they have been installed and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions, they will save lives.
There has been a requirement in England since 2010 for hot water temperature control to be fitted to baths in new dwellings, but new washbasin taps are not covered by this legislation. Nor are existing installations.
‘We need to make householders and professionals aware that this simple device can be retro-fitted in ALL homes and will prevent scalding particularly in the elderly and very young,’ says Tom Reynolds, CEO of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association.
Source: www.cbtrust.org.uk
This blog was written by Amy Kirk, Marketing Manager at the BMA