European tap water position statement released

The European Child Safety Alliance was released in December 2010; it is a statement regarding the danger of tap water scalds to children, and is supported by more than 20 countries. ISCAIP is proud to be a signatory on this important statement, and urges the European Commission and Member States to give attention to the problem of tap water scalds. Scalds due to hot tap water are a cause of severe injury in very young children and a source of tremendous pain, requiring multiple hospitalisations and lengthy treatment, and resulting in permanent disability or disfigurement and even death. Hot bath water is responsible for the highest number of fatal and severe scalding injuries among young children. For example, every year in the UK approximately 500 children under the age of 5 are hospitalised due to a severe scald caused by bath water, over 20 of whom die of their injuries. An additional 2000 are seen in the emergency department for bath water scald injuries. Scalds can be expensive to treat due to their severity—as much as €290 000 per severe injury. The exposure time required …