This page contains various articles published by SafeKids Canada with whom the Foundation is in partnership since 2001. Articles published here (with permission) deal with burns to children. For information about other SafeKids programs, simply click on the icon at the top right-hand side of this page to be taken to their website. 

Spring 2003

Update in Proposed Hot Tap Water Temperatures (Rita Mezei, Public Policy & Advocacy Specialist)

The response to our request to support proposed hot tap water reductions to 49C has been extremely encouraging. Thank you! At the time of writing, we received over 100 letters of support from a broad cross-section of the public health and injury prevention communities. A complete listing will be posted on our website. In addition, copies of letters of support were provided from governments and agencies including the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, Health Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, British Columbia's Minister of Health, and several MPs across Canada.

Public comments closed a the end of April, 2003. Comments will be compiled and assessed by a technical body of the Canadian Commission of Building and Fire Codes. A decision will be made on the proposal in Fall, 2003, but a specific date has not yet been set. It is encouraging that several provinces have indicated their interest in adopting these changes in their respective Building Codes.

Winter 2002-2003

During the past year and a half, SafeKids Canada advocated for changes to the National Building Code that would safeguard hot water temperatures at 49C in domestic dwellings. As a result, a consensus-based proposed change was developed with regulating and standing committees of the Canadian Commission on Buildings and Fire Codes, and is being considered through a public review comment period from January to April 2003.

The change calls for a "performance based standard" whereby hot water supplied to fixtures in domestic dwellings would not exceed 49C. If supported, the code would affect new construction effective 2005, and could improve safety in existing homes. A decision on the proposed code change will be made in June, 2003. A brief that outlines the proposed change along with letters of support are available on our web site: www.safekidscanada.com in our Advocacy section.

Now is the time to make our voices heard to help address this long neglected injury prevention issue. To gather support for this initiative, SafeKids Canada will collect letters of support and send them to ministers responsible for Building Safety, Health and Members of Parliament. 

For further information, please visit our web site, or contact Rita Mezei at rita.mezei@sickkids.ca

Over the summer, Safe Kids Canada met with the advisory committees comprised of industry, and regulators that make recommendations for changes to the National Building Code. Safe Kids Canada made a deputation requesting that household hot water temperatures be lowered to 49C to address hot tap water burn injuries. In principle, the advisory committees agreed that this recommendation should be implemented through the Code. A public consultation process for this recommendation has been delayed, but will commence in January 2003. Sake Kids Canada will be coordinating a joint briefing with our strategic allies from public health, industry and the regulating community supporting the need for change while recommending that product changes must also be adopted in order to affect both new and existing occupancies. If you would like a copy of the brief sent to you please email Rita Mezei at rita,mezei@sickkids.ca 

Safe Kids Canada has been actively building consensus with the regulatory, industry and consumer communities to adopt regulatory and standards changes to limit hot water temperatures at the tap to 49C. After one year, significant progress has been achieved. Safe Kids Canada made numerous presentations in various forums to bring attention to this issue. After much discussion a satisfactory approach to safeguard temperatures while balancing other concerns is being developed. The approach, widely accepted by industry, regulators and consumers, supports the addition of a safety device to temper hot water to 49C at the outlet of the hot water tank. This solution is cost-effective, available and allows for an improved level of safety compared to reducing the temperature settings of the hot water tank.

Safe Kids Canada is leading the initiative by organizing a coalition to endorse this position.

A joint brief endorsed by coalition members outlining this position will be presented by Safe Kids Canada to the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes in the fall, during a public consultation review of the National Building Code.

We need your show of support to help us to make these changes a reality. A form letter of support endorsing this initiative and additional information on this campaign can be found on our web site at www.safekidscanada.ca

CPHA Passes Scald Burn Resolution

In October, at the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA), the membership passed a resolution on Scald Burns from Tap Water put forward by SafeKids Canada. The resolution calls for CPHA to urge the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes and the Canadian Standards Association to amend the standards to ensure that temperature settings for domestic hot water tanks are 49C. The resolution also calls for harmony with the provincial and territorial building codes. 

To see the complete listing of resolutions, please go to the CPHA web site, www.cpha.ca

VIEWPOINT - Time for Action on Scalds Prevention by Sonya Corkum, Executive Director, Safe Kids Canada

SafeKids Canada has been actively advocating safeguarding temperatures in homes to reduce the threat of scald burn injury by encouraging changes in legislation and industry practices. The standard practice of industry in Canada (water tank manufacturers, utilities and installers) is to set temperatures at 60C (140F). At this temperature, it takes less than 1 second for a child's skin to be badly burned. It is not reasonable to expect that adult supervision will prevent injury under these conditions. Many parents and caregivers simply are not aware of the danger that hot water burns like fire.

Safe Kids Canada has received support nationwide from the medical community on the issue. The College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Medical Association and Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health have endorsed our efforts to reduce temperature settings to 49C or find an equally effective solution.