There is a simple truth to be had in any household: your hot water needs to be of a temperature for proper hygiene but not so hot that a momentary contact will do serious damage. In an Australian home this entails some control at the tap, a look over the bath or shower before one gets in and being more vigilant with babies, those with a disability and older people.
I am Isadora Graham. One has to have worked in treatment rooms where skin, steam and hot towels come together for years to see what I have. People are prone to think a bathroom they know well is a safe place. It is not. A child propped up on a bath, a tap that is not tight or a hot water system put to a new setting can make of an unremarkable morning a hospital visit. There is no need for it; put some sensible controls in place and you will not have the trouble.
A Safe Temperature To Begin With
You would be hard pressed to find a better way for the home than to store water at a temperature to check bacteria and then restrict what comes out of the bathroom taps. They are two different things and conflating them is a frequent source of scalds.
Regulations in Australia will draw a line between the storage temperature of the hot water system and the point-of-delivery temperature at a basin or shower. The water in the system can be hotter than what is permitted on the skin. These distinctions support national heated water standards.
The 50°C Limit
When it comes to domestic outlets in new or re-done plumbing work, the 50°C limit is the norm for maximum point-of-delivery under Australian requirements. Of course the property type, the outlet and the rules of the state or territory will have their say on the specifics.
An unrestricted hot tap is less desirable than a 50°C one but it is not without risk. If someone is unable to get away from it in a hurry, a burn is possible from extended contact. Older people might have diminished sensation or be slower to react, a baby’s skin is much thinner. Do not make “it is only 50 degrees” your plan for safety, it is just one element of it.
Storage Versus Delivery
For the most part a hot water system must have a higher storage temperature than is safe at a tap to deal with the hygiene risks in the system; a temperature control device will see to it the water is reduced for the user.
Do not be tempted to drop the storage temperature as an excuse to forego the right kind of outlet control, you are inviting another health risk. Have a licensed plumber put the system through its paces, he will tell you if a tempering or thermostatic mixing valve is called for and what the settings should be.
| Part Of The System | What It Does | What To Check |
|---|---|---|
| Storage temperature | The temperature within the unit | Abide by the manufacturer and Australian plumbing requirements |
| Temperature control device | Brings the temperature down prior to the outlet | Make sure it is in good order and properly fitted |
| Point-of-delivery temperature | From the shower, bath or basin | Use a thermometer to check, do not put your hand to it |
| Tap, hose and shower fitting | Where the water is delivered | Any loose fittings, stiff controls or a change in temperature and leaks will show |
Rules Of The Road In Australia
While there is a national framework for plumbing, the hot water regulations are put into effect via the National Construction Code, the relevant Australian Standards and the state or territory. Whether the building is a house, a rental, an aged-care service or a hospital, the installation rules may not be the same.
Calling them national heated water standards is convenient but it is no substitute for seeing what applies to the property in question. A setting may appear safe yet be wrong on account of a valve that is faulty or has been put in incorrectly.
State And Property Rules
The limit for a domestic bathroom in Australia is not necessarily the one you would have in an aged or health-care environment where a lower delivery temperature is demanded for the sake of residents who are more open to injury.
In Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory the same holds true. If work is to be done in NSW one should refer to the current plumbing and building information for the regulations there. For reliable information one would do well to consult the State departments, a licensed tradesman or the Building and Plumbing Commission (or whatever body is the equivalent) rather than an old post making the rounds on social media like a mozzie by the porch light.
Ask Before You Start Any Plumbing
If a tap is to be changed, a bathroom put in for a renovation or a hot water unit replaced, put the question to the plumber as to what bearing it has on scald protection. The check on hot water temperature from a licensed plumber ought to cover outlet temperature and the state of the control valve and see that the installation is still in compliance once the work is done.
Renters are advised to let their landlord or property manager know of any leaking valves, temperature controls that have given way or tap water running too hot. And leave the tempering valve alone; a minor alteration can be felt at every bathroom outlet in the house.
Preventing Scalds In The Home
The best way to prevent scalds from the tap is to make it part of your routine and not something you deal with in a panic. One does not want a child or a visitor, or a carer who is tired, having to make the right call at an inopportune time.
Families are often taken unawares by the assumption that after one check the water will stay as it is. But a bit of plumbing, a service to the system, a valve going or even a change in pressure will alter the hot water.
A Checklist For The Household
- Where you can, put a thermometer to the bath or shower water, particularly in the case of babies or those with lessened sensation.
- When filling a bath add the hot water slowly after the cold has been run. To empty or adjust the bath, the hot tap should be the first to be turned off.
- Children should remain under constant supervision around baths, showers, basins, kettles, urns and buckets.
- Saucepan handles must be inwards and hot drinks put some distance from the edge of the bench.
- Do not have a hot drink in hand if you are also holding a baby or a child’s.
- Make sure flexible shower hoses are secured and young children cannot get at the bath plug.
- Instil in children that clear, harmless-looking tap water can burn.
- Have a professional look things over when there have been unexplained changes in temperature or after new plumbing or a hot water system is put in.
Reality Check
Expectation: You may expect a child to draw back from hot water. Reality: A baby might not be able to and a frightened one could slip or fall on the tap.
Expectation: A test on the wrist is thought to be sufficient. Reality: Hands are not all equally sensitive and a few seconds will tell you more about the heat of the water. A thermometer is called for in the bath if there is risk.
Expectation: A valve is expected to last indefinitely. Reality: They are not invincible; fittings require inspection after a number of years or any changes to the system.
Members Of The Household At Risk
With children you need to control the water and have barriers in place as well as supervision. With the elderly it is the same fundamentals only you have to factor in balance, vision, reaction time and if they can extricate themselves from the water in a hurry.
An assessment of risk should take in the room, the equipment and the person. What is a safe temperature for an adult in his confidence may not be so for one with a disability or using a walking frame.
Babies and Children
Their smaller size and the vulnerability of their skin means a young child can be badly scalded in no time. Under no circumstances should a baby be left to its own devices in the bath, not even to go and answer the door or retrieve a phone from the kitchen.
To reset on safety for the day, go to the bathroom you use most. Put away the cleaning products and hot appliances, have the adult in charge in a position where he or she can get to the child without tripping over things, and check the tap controls and bath temperature.
Disability and the Elderly
Those with limited mobility, arthritis, dementia or a loss of sensation are at more of a risk. Someone with a disability may call for a shower chair, support rails, controls within easy reach, a lower delivery temperature or a trained carer.
There is no reason to think independence precludes help with the hazards of the bathroom; the proper arrangement will protect dignity. Health professionals and occupational therapists are there to assist with individual requirements and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has some sound advice on safe care.
Valves and Plumbing
One cannot set and forget the temperature control of a hot water system. Depending on the design of the building and its plumbing you may have a thermostatic mixing valve which is more responsive to change, or a tempering valve to bring down the outlet temperature by mixing in cold water.
When the water is uncharacteristically hot, or it will not settle to a steady temperature and runs from hot to cold, do not put up with it as a nuisance. There could be an issue with the system, pressure or a valve.
Book A Proper Temperature Check
Have a licensed plumber put in an appearance to measure the water at the outlet of concern and see if the system is up to standard. He should also have a look at the temperature control device. Insist on the actual figure for the measurement; “it feels about right” is no substitute for physics.
Once any work has been done, go over the outlets again. The shower, bath and basin may not all act in the same way so check them one by one. Where there are vulnerable residents or professional care on site, make a note of it.
First Aid For A Scald
In the event of a hot water burn, first aid is not something to delay. Get the person away from the source, take off any clothing or jewellery in the vicinity of the injury (unless adhered) and put the burn to 20 minutes under cool running water.
Ice, butter, oil, toothpaste and adhesive dressings are to be avoided as they can compound the damage to the tissue or get in the way of an assessment. Urgent medical attention is called for if the burn is deep or extensive, or is located on a major joint, the face, hands, feet or genitals, or if the patient is an older adult, baby or otherwise at risk.
Adhere To These Steps
- Put an end to contact with the hot water and make the area safe.
- For 20 minutes cool the burn with running water while seeing to it the rest of the body is kept warm.
- Jewellery, watches and loose articles of clothing should be removed from around the burn provided they are not stuck to the skin.
- A non-fluffy clean dressing or cling film will do to cover the area once it has been cooled.
- Should there be a serious burn, collapse, trouble breathing or any other immediate peril, put in a call to Triple Zero (000).
- In the case of a child, baby or elderly person, a health service can offer advice.
Healthdirect has some sound guidance on burns and scalds first-aid. You will find practical information for the family on burn prevention from The Better Health Channel, Royal Children’s Hospital, St John NSW, Kidsafe Victoria and The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.
Some Safety Questions Answered
One does not need separate explanations for first aid, plumbing controls and the rules on temperature, so the salient points are covered in brief below.
Australian Hot Water Standards
The National Construction Code and the Australian Standards, along with state and territory plumbing rules, are what govern these systems. New or altered work in a domestic bathroom will usually see the point-of-delivery capped at 50°C, though storage and special buildings are another matter. A licensed plumber or the state authority can tell you the rule.
Burn Management Guidelines In Australia
Cool running water for 20 minutes is what is needed for a thermal burn. Leave the ice and household creams alone. If the burn is in a high-risk spot, or the injured party is a baby or other vulnerable individual, or there is difficulty in breathing, do not hesitate to get help.
NSW Regulations
What is required in NSW is a function of the property and the work being done, as well as the building and plumbing provisions in force. Do not trust an internet answer; let a licensed plumber verify the valve and the outlet temperature. This goes without saying in rental or aged-care premises.
How Hot Is Too Hot?
It is not a question of one temperature that will ensure safety, given the pressure, how long the contact is and the condition of the skin. At 60°C a serious burn is possible in seconds, but even 50°C can do harm with protracted exposure. Those with less sensation, like the very old or young, are at greater risk.
Is 50°C Out Of Harm’s Way?
Not entirely. It is a limit that lessens the risk. But test the bath water and keep an eye on the children. And if the water is unpredictable, have a plumber come out for a check.
Prevent Scalds As A Matter Of Course
There is a simple way to go about it: know your first-aid response, supervise those who require it, maintain the plumbing and have the temperature in hand at the outlet. A life-changing burn can be put off by the few minutes it takes to book a valve inspection or have a look at the bath.
In Fremantle where I am based a hot day has a way of making people impatient, but that is when you are most apt to make a mistake with hot water. So set the controls, have a check and let safety have its dull, reliable victory.
