Families For Life | Bath Safety

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You can keep bath time fun and safe for your child by following our golden rules for bathroom safety. This guide also explains how to prevent drowning and scalding in the bath.

Bathroom safety basics

Drowning and scalds are the two main risks with bath time. You can avoid these risks by following the four golden rules for safe bath times:

  • Always supervise babies, toddlers and children under five years in the bath. Never leave older children or siblings to supervise. They don’t have the skills to see and react to an emergency situation.
  • Check the water temperature is between 37°C and 38°C before you put your child in.
  • Get everything ready in advance so you can stay with your child for bath time – towel, face washer, cotton wool, clean diaper and clean clothes.
  • Let the water out as soon as bath time is over.

How to prevent drowning in the bath

Drowning is the major cause of death for children under five years.

Very young children are prone to drowning because they’re top-heavy. They can slip into or under the water very suddenly, and they can drown in only a few centimetres of water. Drowning can be very quick – it can take only a moment. Young children can also drown silently, without coughing or splashing, so you might not even realise they’re in danger.

Never leave your child alone near water, even for a minute. When you and your child are in the bathroom, make sure your child is within arm’s reach and within sight at all times.

Preventing burns and scalds in the bathroom

Young children have very sensitive skin, which means that baths that are too hot can scald them very quickly. The safe temperature for a child’s bath is between 37°C and 38°C (approximately 36°C for a newborn), whereas grown-ups tend to bathe in water between 41°C and 42°C.

The best way to prevent burns or scalds in the bathroom is to ensure that hot water is delivered to your basin, bath or shower at a maximum temperature of 50°C. This isn’t a bathing temperature, however – you still need to mix cold water with the hot water from the tap to get the right bathing temperature.

Here are more tips to help you prevent bathroom burns and scalds:

  • Always run cold water first. Never fill a bath with hot water first. You might be called away, and your child could then fall in and be scalded. Keep your child away from the bath until the water is the right temperature.
  • If your bathroom has mixer taps, run the hot and cold water together. If you need to increase the temperature, add more warm water, not straight hot water. Running the hot water by itself increases the risk your child will put a hand or foot in the stream and be burned.
  • Test the water temperature with your wrist and elbow before your child gets in. It should be comfortably warm, but not hot. If your skin flushes when you put your elbow in, the water is too hot for a child’s skin. You might even want to get a special water thermometer. 
  • Make sure the hot water tap is turned off hard. When the bath is ready, briefly run cold water through the tap so water in the tap won’t burn anyone.
  • Never leave your child in the care of an older child who might be able to turn on the hot water tap.
  • Never leave your child alone in the bath or in the bathroom. She could easily turn on the hot water tap and not be able to turn it off. If you’re called away to the phone or door, wrap your baby in a towel and take her with you.

Important hot water facts

Over 90% of hot tap water scalds occur in the bathroom, when the temperature of water from the tap is set too high.

When water is at 60°C, it takes only one second to cause a full thickness scald. At 50°C, it takes five minutes. The difference between 60°C and 50°C can be the difference between pain, hospitalisation and scarring for life, or a minor injury.

The best way to prevent scalds in the bathroom is to reduce the temperature of the hot water tap at the basin, bath and shower to 50°C.

You can buy anti-scald devices for your house. For suggestions and advice, talk to a licensed plumber, who might recommend installing a tempering valve. This device reduces the hot water temperature in the bathroom but doesn’t change the temperature in the kitchen. The plumber might also suggest a thermostatic mixing valve, which can be set to deliver hot water at a safe temperature.

If a burn or scald happens: what to do

If you’re not sure how severe a burn is, contact a doctor, hospital or medical centre immediately.

Otherwise, take the following first aid steps:

  • Make sure the area is safe and there’s no further risk of injury. Take the child to a safe place if possible.
  • Take off the child’s clothing immediately, but only if it’s not stuck to the skin. Remove any watches or jewellery the child is wearing, but only if you can do so without causing more pain or injury.
  • Treat the burn with water only. Cool the burned area under running water for 20 minutes. This will reduce tissue damage and pain. You can usually do this for up to three hours after the burn. Hold the child to provide comfort.
  • When you’ve finished the water treatment or while you’re taking the child to see a doctor, cover the burn with a loose, light, non-sticky dressing like plastic wrap or a clean, wet cloth.
  • Raise burned limbs.

More tips for safe baths

  • Beware of distractions that could take you away from the bath and cause you to lose track of time. Take the phone off the hook, put the answering machine on or turn your mobile to silent before you run the bath.
  • Run only enough water for washing and play. Belly-button height or about 8 cm is plenty for a child who can sit up on his own.
  • Swirl the water in the bath so there are no hot and cold areas.
  • Point mixer taps towards the cold setting. Make sure your child can’t get to the taps.
  • Watch your child all the time, even if you’re using a bath seat or cradle. A bath seat on its own without your supervision won’t keep your child safe.
  • Let older siblings join in the fun, rather than putting them in charge. Older siblings might not recognise when a small child is in danger, which is why a grown-up needs to stay with babies and children under five years when they’re in the bath.
  • Empty the bath as soon as you’re finished with it. Keep bathroom and laundry doors shut when you’re not using them so young children can’t get to any taps or water sources on their own.
  • Use a non-slip bathmat and have a non-slip surface on your bathtub. For more information, talk to your child and paediatrician or a safety consultant.

Sometimes bath time can be stressful because it happens at the end of the day when you’ve got lots of other things to do. When too many things are happening at once, it can increase the risk of injuries. If this sounds like your situation, you could consider changing your routine to make things easier.


Video: Baby Bathing

Get tips on how to bath your newborn here