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Burns and electrocution prevention


Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

Key facts about burns from fire

Burns from fire

  • every year an average of nine children aged under 15 years die of burns - primarily in house or car fires
  • more than 60 percent of the children who die from burns are under the age of five
  • house fires in which children die are most commonly caused by someone playing with matches, lighters, candles, or heaters
  • car fires in which children die are mostly started by children (who are un-supervised) playing with matches or lighters inside the vehicle
  • the New Zealand Fire Service believes working smoke alarms will reduce the incidence and consequences of fire

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Key facts about hot water burns

Hot water burns

  • hot water burns like fire
  • a hot cup of tea spilled over a baby or toddler is equivalent to a bucketful spilled over an adult
  • young skin burns more quickly and deeply than adult skin, and at lower temperatures
  • at 60 degrees a child’s skin can sustain a serious burn in one second; at 54 degrees, it takes 10 seconds to burn
  • almost 40 percent of New Zealand homes have hot water that is dangerously hot, and nearly 10 percent have water so hot that burns are almost inevitable
  • more than 140 children each year are rushed to hospitals with hot water burns – from hot tap water or other hot substances
  • many of these children are aged under five years 
  • some of these children require repeated surgery and months of treatment
  • being aware of the dangers of hot water to children in and around the home, supervising children around hot water and knowing when water is so hot it can burn like fire, are the first steps in preventing childhood burns

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How to protect children from burns

Below are Safekids' practical tips for preventing burns:
  • keep hot drinks away from young children and never nurse a child while holding a hot drink
  • keep kettles and kettle cords where children can’t reach them
  • cook on the back elements of the stove first
  • turn pot handles toward the back of the stove
  • avoid heating babies’ drinks in microwaves; if you do use them, always shake the bottle well once it’s heated
  • always supervise young children at bath or shower time and when they wash their hands
  • keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach, and teach them to take matches or lighters to an adult straight away if they do find them
  • secure candles in a candleholder with a wide base and keep them away from anything that will burn easily, such as paper and curtains
  • put all candles out before going to sleep or leaving a room
  • never use candles in bedrooms
  • never leave cooking unattended
  • ensure all electrical appliances are in good working order
  • don’t overload power points or multi-boxes
  • always turn electric blankets off before getting into bed and have them checked yearly by a qualified electrician
  • remember to always run cold water into the bath before you run the hot water
  • a safe temperature for hot tap water is between 50 and 55 degrees; if the water in your home seems too hot, ask a registered plumber or local energy supplier to check it and turn it down 
The New Zealand Fire Service website has a section on fire safety1 and there is also a separate FireWise website2- a fun educational website for the promotion of fire safety. 
 

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How to protect children from electrocution

  • Kaha the Kea's electricity safety checklistthe Vector website3has information about electricity and preventing electrocution for kids, parents and teachers; there is information about what to do in an emergency and games which kids can play - "Voltinator", "Find the Hidden Dangers", "Make the Safe Choice" and "Shock Blocker"
  • the Child Safety Foundation New Zealand website has Kaha the Kea’s electricity safety checklist4 (at right)

 


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Download and print colour brochures in several languages

The pamphlet Be burn and firewise5, in English6, Maori7, Samoan8, Tongan9 and Chinese10, is available for downloading at the Safekids website. 
 
Be burn and frewise checklist in English Be burn and firewise checklist in Maori
Be burn and firewise checklist in Samoan
Be burn and firewise checklist in Tongan
Be burn and firewise checklist in Chinese
 
 

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Where to go for more information

ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation)
The ACC website makes the following fact sheets available:
 
Child Safety Foundation of New Zealand
Kaha the Kea's burns and scalds saftey checklistThe activities of the Foundation are aimed, principally, but not exclusively at the safety of those children under the age of seven years. Foundation efforts are aimed at parent, caregiver, pre-school and primary school groups. See Kaha the Kea’s burns and scalds safety checklist13 (at right) at the Foundation's website.
Head office address: 15 Veronica Street, New Lynn, Auckland
Postal address: PO Box 56-313, Dominion Road, Auckland
Phone: 64 9 827 6182 or call free on 0800 CHILD SAFETY (0800 244 5372)
Fax: 64 9 827 6184
Website: http://www.childsafety.co.nz/
 
NZFS (New Zealand Fire Service)
The NZFS website provides information about fire safety including education programmes for year one and two children at school - FireWise for schools14: ‘Be FireWise’and ‘Maui Tinei Ahi’.
 
Safekids New Zealand
Safekids childhood burn injury fact sheetSafekids offers services designed to contribute to the reduction of childhood injury. You can download a Childhood burn injury factsheet15 (at right) from the Safekids website.
Address: Fifth Floor, Cornwall Complex, Building 15, 40 Claude Road, Epsom, Auckland
Postal address: PO Box 26 488, Epsom, Auckland
Phone: 64 9 630 9955
Fax: 64 9 630 9961
Email: infocentre@safekids.org.nz (To access data and materials from the Safekids National Information & Resource Centre)
Website: http://www.safekids.org.nz/
 

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Acknowledgements

 
 

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Links   (these are the web addresses for the numbered links in the text above)


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Your notes

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Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 04/10/2007

Copyright

Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010


The Paediatric Society of New Zealand
http://www.paediatrics.org.nz 		Starship Foundation
http://www.starship.org.nz