Scalding injuries focus attention on temperature control technologies

Hot water temperature control is a now a serious issue, whether it is in private homes or in hotels, hospitals, age care facilities or commercial businesses concerned about risk management.

Because most Australian hot water systems installed until recent years deliver water at dangerously high temperatures, the Government has introduced legislation that requires all hot water system now installed to be regulated for safety.

Any new hot water installations are required to ensure water delivered from the tap does not exceed 45° C (43.5° C NSW Health) for childhood centres and primary and secondary schools, for example, and 50 °C for other new buildings.

Such is the human and financial cost of horrific scalds injuries, however, that many private homeowners and businesses alike are also retrofitting temperature control devices such as Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMVs) to ensure all water is delivered at safe temperatures.

Dorothy Bell, Home safety co-ordinator of KIDSAFE NSW elaborates, “All new hot water systems in homes now have to deliver water at a temperature of no more than 50 degrees Celsius to the bathroom. The fact is that 50 degrees Celsius is hotter than an adult can stand for a bath or shower - and is in fact quite hot enough for all household needs.”

For young children, exposure to hot water above 60 degrees Celsius it can take as little as 1 second to receive third degree burns, Even at 55 degrees Celsius, scalding can occur in 10 seconds.

And its not just children* who are at risk: disabled people and hospital patients pose particular safety issues, while elderly people are also vulnerable. The NSW Department of Health, for example, found that 49.6% of elderly people aged 85 and over were admitted to hospital for burn injury during 2004-2005, and 50% of injuries were also sustained as a result of a scalding.

In response to the need for reliable and proven temperature control, the leading safety and tapware group Enware has developed Aquablend thermostatic mixing valves. These are the only thermostatic mixing valves designed, developed and manufactured in Australia to conform with the high local Australian and New Zealand Standards requirements. Aquablend TMVs reliably deliver water to plus or minus 2 degrees Celsius of preset temperatures under varying temperature and pressure conditions. Safety from scalding and shock is further enhanced by their thermal shut-off capability in the event of cold or hot water supply failure.

Aquablend TMVs are capable of multi-point heated water delivery, catering for more than one shower, wash basin and bath. They are supplied with a combination isolating ball valve, non return valve and strainer assemblies which incorporate water pressure and temperature test ports.

Enware Aquablend TMVs are available in four different models for applications ranging from domestic to commercial use to the health and aged care preferred models [Aquablend 1500 and Aquablend 2000] which also have NSW Health approval for use in public and private healthcare facilities.

Aquablend models include

Aquablend TMV 1000: temperature ranges from 38 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius. This model has a static inlet pressure of 1000 kPa, a dynamic inlet pressure of 10 kPa – 500 kPa, a flow rate of 39 lpm.
Aquablend TMV 1500: temperature rangers from 35 degrees to 48 degrees Celsius, with a flow rate of 42 lpm, a static inlet pressure of 1000 kPa, and dynamic inlet pressure of 20kPa- 500kPa.
Aquablend TMV 2000: temperature ranges from 35 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius. This model has a static inlet pressure of 1000 kPa, a dynamic inlet pressure of 10 kPa – 500 kPa, a flow rate of 40 lpm.
Aquablend TMV 2500: temperature rangers from 35 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius, with a flow rate of 75 lpm, a static inlet pressure of 1000 kPa, and dynamic inlet pressure of 10kPa- 500kPa.

Aquablend TMVs are also easy to install and maintain from a practical and economic viewpoint. The optional stainless steel enclosures, allow for ease of access and service. The compact component assembly design provides low-cost, in-situ service capability with minimal downtime.

Flat faced connections allow the removal of the valve without disturbing the pipe work. Each product is supplied with a detailed technical manual to facilitate valve sizing, installation, commissioning, maintenance and trouble-shooting.

Enware also provides the Smart Flow TMV Monitoring System as a risk management tool for the performance and maintenance of Aquablend TMVs. The networked system constantly monitors the Aquablend electronically, through a calibrated temperature probe installed into the TMV. It provides engineering personnel with a constant temperature readout and performance status report of all TMVs throughout the facility.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Enware Australia Pty Ltd, 9-11 Endeavour Road, Caringbah, NSW 2229, Australia, ph (61-2) 9525 9511, fax (61-2) 9525 9536. Click here to email your query to us.

The cost of burns – in human terms

The cost of treating burns and scald injuries can run into tens of thousands of dollars where they include the costs of multiple surgeries, medications, occupational therapy and physiotherapy as well as regular check ups.

And while the physical effects of burns and scalds can improve over time, there can also be psychological concerns and barriers to overcome, says psychologist Kate Glancey of Gerard Glancey and Associates

“The psychological effects on burns victims are likely to be significant and long term. The physical recovery is often an intense and arduous process which serves to further exacerbate the psychological impact.

“It’s also quite common for burns and scald suffers to suffer Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD typically co-exists with depression. One would also expect the victim to suffer with depression and anxiety. “

“In my experience as a clinician, people suffering scarring, particularly visible scarring, often demonstrate strong resistance with acceptance. They typically report feeling deformed. They perceive themselves as abnormal in appearance. They perceive the reactions of others to be negative. This serves to reinforce their own negative perceptions of self. They typically report loss of confidence, loss of self esteem and very poor body image.

The complex nature of the psychological disturbance often requires long term intervention and can at times be arduous” says Ms Glancey.

Children are often the worst affected numerically by burns and scalds. For example, The report ‘The Health of people of NSW’ indicates that during 2004-05 children aged 0 to 4 years had the highest rate of hospitalisations for injuries resulting from burns and scalds. Sadly these findings are consistent across other parts of Australia, including QLD, with the Injury Surveillance Unit reporting that 40% of children under 5 years old injured in the bathroom and kitchen had injuries resulting from exposure to hot water taps or saucepans. KidSafe WA reported 803 children hospitalised as a result of scalding injuries over a six financial year period. which is equivalent to 134 children per year or more than two per week?