Scald Safety
Common Sites of Scald Injury
§Kitchen or dining area
–     -Spills while handling or moving
hot foods and liquids,
–     often involving children
–Bathing area
–     -Inability to remove self from hot water
       The two main settings for scald injury are the kitchen/dining areas and the bathing areas.
The most common kitchen and dining area scald injuries result from spills of hot food, grease or beverages. Such injuries typically happen when a child pulls hot beverages or hot food down on themselves from tables, stoves or countertops, by pulling on a pot handle, a tablecloth or the cord of a countertop appliance.
Other scalds occur when adults are jostled while holding a restless child in their arm or on their lap while drinking hot coffee or tea. In still other cases, an adult slips or loses their grip while removing hot food from a stove or oven, or carrying it to a table. This can happen while they are alone, or when they are bumped into by a child, who may suffer a serious scald from the spill.
The most common bathing area scald results when a child is left unattended in a bathtub. An older adult may slip or faint and pull the shower control into the hot position while attempting to brace themselves.  Scalds in the bath or shower often involve long exposure and cover large areas of the body. The result can be a serious injury, with lengthy rehabilitation.
(Bridge)  Length of exposure to scalding hot water is one of several factors that determine the severity of a scald injury.  What else influences scald severity?