DOMESTIC CENTRAL HEATING RADIATORS - A CAUSE FOR CONCERN IN ALL AGE-GROUPS

A retrospective analysis of all bums admitted to the Welsh Regional Bu ms and Plastic Surgery Unit, Chepstow, in the period January 1990 to 1 October 1993, highlighted a group of 50 patients who had sustained co ntact barns from the radiators of domestic central heating systems. Th ere was a male prevalence, with an average age of 43.4 years (range 6 months to 300 years). The mean TBSA burned was 1.58 per cent (range 0. 13-6.0 per cent) and half of the injuries were fall thickness depth. T he forearm and hand were predominantly injured. Although the literatur e has indicated that the incidence of contact bums peaks at the extrem es of the age spectrum this study has shown that contact radiator burn s can be sustained by all age groups. The aim of the audit was to inve stigate the mechanism of injury and link precipitating factors. The co ntribution of the high surface temperature of the radiator to the burn injury is alluded to. The various methods available to reduce this ri sk are discussed and the use of the low surface temperature radiator a lready routinely used in health care premises, is advocated.