New research released by anti-scald specialist Inta shows that three people have died this year from scalding and many more have been hospitalised with severe burns in spite of new of stricter legislation and high-profile prosecutions for negligence.
Inta says that the new statistics, provided by the National Burns Injury Database (NBID), show that scalding is still a significant issue and is reinforced by the recent prosecution of a Birmingham-based housing association for the death of a vulnerable adult in its care in 2007.

Midland Heart was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £35,000 in costs after Anthony Ironmonger, 75, died in December 2007 after suffering burns in a bath at Summer Hill House, Birmingham Crown Court was told. A second man, Kevin Clarke, also suffered scalding in a bath at another home in August 2008 but was treated and discharged from hospital.

Although regulations requiring an approved thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) for new residential bathrooms and heathcare bathrooms, known as TMV2 and TMV3 respectively, having been in force for some time Inta says these cases show that the problems are still present.

From 2005 to 2011, 63 people died from bath time scalding including one child and 53 elderly people. A further 1,124 were admitted to hospital with severe burns including 37 infants, 757 children and 139 elderly. This year alone, three elderly people have died from scalding.

Stuart Gizzi, director of Inta, said: 'It is heartbreaking every time we hear of a case where somebody has been hospitalised - or worse, died - due to scalding. We have been campaigning tirelessly since 2004 for the introduction of legislation to make anti-scald TMV devices compulsory for new domestic bathrooms in line with the type of legislation, albeit more robust, which has been governing the NHS and other healthcare providers for many years now.

'New Part G Building Regulations introduced in April 2010 finally made it compulsory for new residential bathrooms to have a TMV device fitted, but clearly there are thousands of dated bathrooms around the UK where hot water is dispensed straight from the tank with no thermostatic blending. It's important to remember that any higher than 44 deg C can potentially be dangerous, or even deadly.

'And although there has been a requirement for TMV devices within healthcare or social care environments for many years now, they require an annual maintenance check to ensure they are are still operating correctly. It's important to keep on top of this to prevent tragic accidents. These are not 'fit and forget' products.

'As Councillor Neil Eustace, chair of Birmingham City Council public protection committee, commented, scalding deaths or severe burns from hot water are 'completely avoidable'.'