Be wary of this potential hazard from your garden hose this summer
Water inside a hose can reach temperatures of 60°C (140°F) when left sitting in extreme heat. WARNING: Graphic images below.
The summer sun is strong, so if you have water sitting stagnant in your hose, its temperature will be rising. Once you activate the trigger, boiling water has the potential to shoot out and cause severe burns.
An example from Arizona has made international headlines after a mother filled her child's pool, unaware of the scalding water being poured inside. The young boy was left with second-degree burns to 30 per cent of his body.
(Las Vegas Fire Rescue)
Water inside a hose can reach temperatures of 60°C (140°F) when left sitting in extreme heat.
Stuart Brideaux, a paramedic and EMS public education officer with the Alberta Health Services, says "evacuate any of that water that's been left in the hose before you use it for any recreational purpose," especially if you will be playing with children in the backyard or you plan on giving your dog a bath.
“From time to time, homeowners leave their hoses out. Perhaps set up for convenience for the next time they are going to be using it in their yards. Of course, if they are left out in the sun for hours and hours at a time, any of the water that is left inside could be heated to an unsafe temperature," said Brideaux.
"Any water that may be in that hose could present a scald hazard if it's not evacuated. Fortunately, it is a low-occurrence event but it is something to keep in mind this summer.”
Thumbnail courtesy of Storyblocks.
