What are the risks associated with hot water?

Each month more than 200 children are admitted to an NHS Burns Service following injuries with hot liquids. The majority of burn and scald injuries happen at home, and mainly in the bath. (According to the Children’s Hospital in Bristol about 30 per cent are linked to baths and showers. Find out more from the Children’s Burns Trust.)

One of the main reason scalding occurs is that hot water is stored at 60°C or above to limit the growth of harmful microrganisms, such as Legionella bacteria. But if water comes out of the tap above 60°C, people can suffer third degree burns in just six seconds.