Safe Bathing, Showering and Surface Temperature

NHS Lothian as an organisation has a duty to protect patients/service users, staff and others from the risk of being scalded and/or burnt from hot water, and hot surfaces.

Accidents in Health and Social Care involving scalding have been fatal and have mainly occurred during bathing where particularly vulnerable patients/service users are at risk during whole body immersion.

To manage and control the scalding risk, hot water temperatures must not exceed 44°C.

Serious injuries and fatalities have also been caused by contact with hot pipes or radiators. Where there is a risk of a vulnerable patient/service user sustaining a burn from a hot surface, then the surface temperature should not exceed 43°C when the system is running at the maximum design output.  Precautions may include insulation or providing suitable covers.

In order to control and manage the scalding and burning risk NHS Lothian has a risk-based approach, focussing on those patients/service users considered particularly vulnerable. Managers within their area of responsibility must ensure that there is a process in place to identify if there are patients/service users at risk from burning and scalding. Findings should be recorded on the NHS Lothian General Risk Assessment Form, ensuring control measures such a pre-bathing water temperature checks are undertaken, recorded and monitored.