Children and elderly people are particularly susceptible to burns because their skin is thinner.  Burns can happen very quickly and severe burns can lead to an emergency evacuation, treatment can involve months, or sometimes years, of hospitalisation and sometimes surgery is required. Even minor burns can result in infection and serious complications, particularly for ill or elderly people.

Fires usually cause the most severe burns, see A3 ‘Fire safety’ for information about strategies to reduce the risk of fires. Household appliances such as hot water systems, stoves and heaters can also cause serious burns.

Hot water should be stored at around 60ºC to prevent microbiological growths. Legislation in all states and territories of Australia requires hot water supplies to bathrooms to be fitted with temperature-limiting devices. There is some resistance to using temperature-limiting devices in areas with poor water quality because the devices are likely to be affected by the water quality and require regular replacement.

Where hot water systems are undersized from houses with many residents, hot water temperatures may be increased to try and provide more hot water for larger families. These will mean higher running costs and a greater chance of scalding if temperature-limiting devices are not fitted or inoperative.

Survey data show that 22% of the 6,000 houses tested with functioning hot water services had water temperatures above 62ºC, increasing the risk of residents being exposed to scalding and burns, see also B1.2 ‘Hot water’. This shows a slight decrease of 6% since 2013. There has also been a reduction in hot water systems producing very hot water, above 70ºC, from 6% (of 7,713 houses) in 2013 to 5% of 6,000 houses in 2024.

Data is showing a trend away from solar hot water systems to electric hot water systems (a 3% increase in electric systems) and the improved hot water temperature data demonstrate the importance of incorporating better technologies into every house to prevent scalding and burns from hot water and to improve the household economy.

Ensure

• B9.5.1.

  the temperature of water produced by the hot water system can be regulated and kept below 62°C (as measured at the hot water system; measuring near or at the hot water system allows for some loss of temperature between the system and tap points in the house)

• B9.5.2.

  temperature limiting devices or other means are in place, to limit the temperature of hot water in the house and prevent burns (before ordering, provide water quality information to the manufacturers of temperature limiting devices to ensure the best product is specified)

• B9.5.3.

  the taps are positioned in the shower on the outside edge of the shower rose to allow residents to control the water flow and temperature from outside of the water stream

• B9.5.4.

  that all exposed hot water pipes are effectively insulated (lagged)

• B9.5.5.

  stoves and built-in heaters have an anti-tilt mechanism

• B9.5.6.

  built-in heaters are fitted with guards or other safety mechanisms

• B9.5.7.

  a fire guard is provided for internal fire places to prevent the spread of sparks.

Consider

• fitting guard rails to cooktops
• using wall ovens
• providing wall mounted heaters to reduce contact with flammable items such as clothing.

• the temperature of water produced by the hot water system can be regulated and is below 62°C
  

  When: AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION
  TRADE TEST

• temperature limiting devices or other means are in place and suited to local water conditions
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  DURING CONSTRUCTION
  AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION

• the taps are positioned in the shower on the outside edge of the shower rose
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  DURING CONSTRUCTION
  AT HANDOVER

• hot water pipes are effectively insulated (lagged)
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  DURING CONSTRUCTION
  AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION

• ensure hot water from a hot water system pressure relief valve drains safely to the ground, tundish or gully, and not on to a path or outside living area
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  DURING CONSTRUCTION
  AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION

• an anti-tilt bracket has been fitted to stoves and built-in heaters
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION

• a fire guard is provided for internal fire places.
  

  When: COMPLETED DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
  AT HANDOVER
  FINAL COMPLETION

As part of cyclical maintenance:

• test water temperature and check that the hot water temperature in bathroom areas is 50°C or less and at all other hot water taps is 60°C or less
  

  Who : Plumber, Local Maintenance Team

  When : 12 Months

• check that thermostat is set to 60°C
  

  Who : Electrician, Local Maintenance Team

  When : 12 Months

Kidsafe - Hot water burns like fire, https://www.kidsafensw.org/imagesDB/documents/Hotwaterburnlikefire2010_2.pdf

Wood, F. M., Fowler B. V., McAullay, D. and Jones, J.R.  2005  ‘Major burns: incidence, treatment and outcomes in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Western Australia’, Medical Journal of Australia, 182 (3): 138

NSW Health, Hot water burns like fire, The NSW scalds prevention campaign, Phases one and two 1992-1994. Final report - December 1998

Penny,M, Burns Prevention, Hazard edition 12, September 1992, Victorian Injury Surveillance System, Monash University Accident Research Centre.

Stathakis,V, Hospitalised injuries, Victoria, July 1992-June 1998, October 1999, Report No. 160, Monash University Accident Research Centre.