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1. Lack of safe play areas for children can increase the risk of scald burns. Establish a “No Kids Zone” in the kitchen. Safe play areas should be out of the traffic path between the stove and sink, where children can play and be supervised.

2. During mealtime, always place hot items in the center of the table away from the edge to prevent spilling hot liquids and food.

3. Did you know? Steam in popcorn bags is hotter than 180 degrees and can burn you in less than a second! When opening microwave popcorn bags allow the bag to sit for at least a minute and open the bag away from your face

4. To avoid scald burns while bathing, fill the tub to you desired level and turn water off before getting in. Run cool water first, and then add hot. Turn hot water off first. This can also prevent scalding in the event someone should fall in while the tub is filling.

5. 84% of scald burns occur in the home. Check out prevention tips at http://flashsplash.org

6. Got a kid? Get a lid! Never place hot liquids on low coffee tables or end tables that a young child can reach and burn themselves

7. Children grow fast and can reach new dangerous things every day that can burn them. Learn burn prevention tips at http://flashsplash.org

8. Don’t use pots, pans, and utensils as toys to entertain children. Children often are unable to distinguish between safe and unsafe and could burn themselves.

9. Keep all pot handles turned back away, away from the stove. Children may reach up and grab handles containing hot liquid or food

10. To prevent burns, don’t let a child stand on a chair or sit on the counter next to stove.

11. If children want to help with meal preparation, give them something cool to mix in a safe location away from the cooking to prevent burns.

12. Supervision is the single most important factor in preventing tap water scalds. If you have to leave the bathroom while bathing a child, take them with you!

13. When bathing infants in small sinks, pay attention to prevent them from turning on the hot water faucets. Infants have thinner skin and can be burned deeper at lower temperatures in shorter exposure times than adults.

14. It takes only 2 seconds of exposure to 148°F/64°C water to cause a burn serious enough to require surgery! Coffee is often served at 175°F/79°C, making it high-risk for causing immediate severe scald burns.

15. Did you know? When you microwave food, steam inside cover containers can quickly reach over 200 o F and can burn your hands and face. Pro Tip: Puncture plastic wrap or use vented containers to allow steam to escape while cooking. Or, wait at least one minute before removing the cover. When removing covers, lift the corner farthest from you and away from your face or arm.

16. Use non-slip placemats when toddlers are around instead of tablecloths. They may use the tablecloth to pull themselves up, spilling hot foods and beverages on themselves. Tablecloths can also become tangled in crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs.

17. Don’t make hot coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in a mug that a child normally uses. Consider using mugs with tight-fitting lids, like travel mugs, when children are around instead.

18. Children don’t recognize potential danger. They often don’t know hot liquids and steam can burn like fire. Smaller children have little control of their environment and have less ability to escape a burning situation on their own.

19. Scald burns can happen to anyone, but children, older adults, and people with disabilities are more likely to be burned. Individuals with physical, mental, or emotional challenges are at a high risk for all types of burn injuries.

20. Place a child in a high chair a safe distance away from the counter or stovetop to prevent burn injuries. Child walkers are extremely dangerous and should never be allowed in the kitchen or bathroom.

21. Every minute, someone in the United States suffers a burn injury serious enough to require treatment. Check out burn prevention tips at http://flashsplash.org

22. Stay cool and don’t carry hot liquids while holding or carrying a child

23. Older adults and babies have thinner skin so they’re at risk for deep burns at lower temperatures and short exposure times. Poor microcirculation can also cause deeper and more serious burns

24. Older adults may have conditions that make them more prone to falls in the bathtub, shower, or while carrying hot liquids. Provide a bell or whistle for people who may need assistance to call for help while bathing and install grab bars and non-slip mats.

25. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. 85-90% of scald burns are from cooking, drinking, or serving hot liquids

26. Every year in the US 450,000 people receive medical treatment for burn injuries. Learn how to prevent burns at http://flashsplash.org

27. . Mobility impairments, slow or awkward movements, muscle weakness, fatigue, or slower reflexes increase the risk of spills and burns

28. Steam reaching temperatures greater than 200°F builds rapidly in covered containers. When removing lids from hot foods, lift the cover or lid away from your face and arms to avoid burns from steam contact.

29. Moving hot liquids can be extremely difficult for someone who uses a cane or walker.

30. Did you know? Certain medications can decrease a person’s ability to feel heat and they may burn themselves without knowing. Sensory impairments, changes in a person’s perception, memory, judgment, or awareness may hinder their ability to recognize burn dangers.

31. Burns on the lap are common when a person attempts to carry hot liquids while seated in a wheelchair. Use a large sturdy serving tray with raised edges to transfer

food from the stove to the table if you or someone have mobility impairments or are unsteady or shaky.

32. Microwave ovens are thought to be safer than conventional ovens, but microwaves can still cause scald burns. Microwaves heat food and liquid to very high temperatures and can cause scald burn from spills, steam, and splashes.

33. Place microwaves at a safe height, within easy reach, for all users to avoid spills and burns and handle food safely. The face of the person using the microwave should

always be higher than the front door to prevent burns. Children under age 7 should not use microwaves unless supervised

34. Consider the weight of pots and pans fill with hot liquids and food before lifting them. Don’t lift hot items that are too heavy

35. It can happen in a flash with a splash. Hot liquid and steam burn like fire. Learn more at http://flashsplash.org

36. Did you know? Tap water scalds are often more severe than cooking related scalds

37. Consider closing the bathroom door when bathing or not in use to prevent scald burns

38. Tap water scalds are almost completely preventable. Stay cool and turn the faucet handle to the “COLD” position when not in use if the tub has a single faucet handle

39. Spills from coffee and other hot beverages can cause burns serious enough to require skin graft surgery!

40. Microwaved foods and liquids may reach temperatures greater than boiling without the appearance of bubbling. Also, food heats unevenly in microwaves. Jelly fillings may be extremely hot, even if outside of the food is warm.

41. Clearly mark the “HOT” water position of faucets to prevent scalding

42. The easiest way to test water temperature is with a candy, meat, or water thermometer

43. Thousands of people suffer from injuries every year due to sudden surges in hot water. Install anti-scald devices!

44. Anti-scald devices are heat sensitive devices that stop water flow when it reaches a pre-determined temperature. Scald guards will not allow water that is too hot flow from the faucet until it’s a safe temperature. Anti-scald devices are inexpensive and simple to install on most existing taps in showers, bathtubs, and sinks. You can pick one up today at some local hardware, plumbing, and baby stores.

45. Always cook on the back burners when children are present to prevent burn injuries

1. About 10,000 children are hospitalized annually with burn injuries. Visit http://flashsplash.org to learn burn prevention tips.

46. Cooking related scalds are common among all ages but are especially serious for children, older adults, and disabled people.

47. Did you know? It takes only one second to get a third degree burn from coffee!

48. Scald burns can result in immense pain, prolonged treatment, lifelong scarring, and even death. Learn about burn prevention and other safety tips at http://flashsplash.org

49. Unlike air temperatures maintained by thermostats, water temperatures can fluctuate a great deal. Temperature of hot water can depend on the distance the heater is from the tap.

50. Always use oven mitt or potholders when moving pots of hot liquid or food to prevent burns

51. 62% of people treated in burn centers for scald burns are children under 5. Learn prevention tips at http://flashsplash.org

52. Children often get scald burns when they spill cups of hot coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Use lids when children are around to prevent burns

53. Adults most often get cooking related scalds from hot liquid spills or when moving containers of hot liquids

54. Cooking related scalds may cover a smaller surface area of skin than tap water scalds, but they’re often deeper burns

55. It only takes one second to get a third degree burn from water 155°F/ 68°C

56. Scald burn prevention is always preferable to treatment. Simple changes in behavior and in the home environment could prevent burns

57. Children can get burned when they grab hanging appliance cords that are caught in cabinets or wrapped around containers of hot food or liquids. Always make sure cords are secure and never in reach of children.

58. Children should not be allowed to use cooking appliances until they are tall enough to reach cooking surfaces safely

59. Did you know? Water fluctuates due to running water in other parts of the home. Avoid flushing toilets, running water, or using the dishwasher or washing machine while someone is showering to prevent sudden surges of scalding water

60. Hands, face, and upper body are the most common places for children to be burned by hot liquids

61. Most scald burns occur when preparing or serving hot foods or beverages. Check out burn prevention tips at http://flashsplash.org

62. Test the temperature of water in bathtub with your elbow or hand with spread fingers. The water should feel warm NOT hot to touch.

63. Hot liquids and steam burn like fire and can injure the people you love!

64. Older adults and people with certain medical conditions may not be able to escape scalding water on their own. Provide a way for them to call for help, especially in the bathroom

65. When you adjust a water heater thermostat, wait a full day to allow the temperature to change. Test the water before you bathe.

66. Each day over 300 children are seen in emergency rooms for burn injuries and two children die. Learn about burn prevention at http://flashsplash.org

67. Did you know? When you microwave food, steam inside cover containers can quickly reach over 200 o F and can burn your hands and face. Pro Tip: Puncture plastic wrap or use vented containers to allow steam to escape while cooking. Or, wait at least one minute before removing the cover. When removing covers, lift the corner farthest from you and away from your face or arm.

68. Since a child is smaller, the proportion of their body exposed to a scalding liquid is greater than that of adults. The same cup of coffee will burn a much larger percentage of a small child’s body

69. Children have thinner skin than adults, resulting in deeper burns even if they were exposed to the same temperature substance for the same amount of time. Burns inflicted in a bathtub may be more severe than spill burns. Never let a child or person with a disability adjust the water temperature

70. Children often fall in tubs or are put in water too hot by inexperienced caretakers or babysitters and are burned by scalding water.

71. Seat children facing away from the faucets when taking a bath, especially if more than one child is in the tub. Children can turn hot water on their siblings and burn them with the scalding water!

72. Never heat baby bottles of formula or milk in the microwave, especially those with plastic bottle liners. When the bottle is inverted, plastic liners can burst, pouring

scalding liquids onto the baby. Always mix the formula well and test on the back of a hand or inner wrist before feeding

73. As children get older and taller and assume more cooking responsibilities, teach them safe practices to prevent burns

74. Scrub a dub! A safe temperature for a bath is 100°F. Although the most common maximum temperature of water delivered by residential water heaters is 120°F, 120°F is an upper safety limit—not a target to be aimed at. At 120°F, it takes only 5 minutes of exposure for adults to have a full thickness burn. Save your skin and wallet by setting your water thermostat at a lower temperature.

75. Potpourri pots, especially those filled with oil, reach very high temperatures. Move potpourri pots where they are unlikely to be tipped over, and out of reach of children to prevent burns.