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General Home Safety Advice

Kitchen Safety

More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room but minimising the risks is easy.

Chip Fat Pans

In Scotland in 2005 there were 854 house fires caused by chip or fat pans!
never leave a chip or fat pan unattended while on the heat - not even for a second
only ever fill one third full
turn the handle away from the cooker's edge but make sure the it doesn't heat up over other rings in use
make sure what goes in isn't dripping wet or caked in ice
fry in small batches - too much could cause the pan to overflow
never deep fry if you've been drinking alcohol

Electric Deep Fat Fryers

These are much, much safer than chip or fat pans. Modern ones have safety cut-outs that stop them overheating and catching fire. Crucially, the heating element is protected so that the oil can't touch it directly and burst into flames.

They're not that expensive – you can buy one from around £30 - and they're smaller than you think.

Cookers, Ovens and Microwaves

Cookers get hot!

It's hardly headline news but, even so, many fires are started by cookers:

cookers must be wired into a special type of fused switch - get yours installed by a qualified electrician
never leave a switched-on grill unattended
keep your grill pan clean of fat
turn pan handles to the side to avoid accidental spillages
never dry tea towels - or anything else - over your cooker or in the oven
don't keep tea towels, oven gloves or any other fabric items in the handle to the oven or grill
don't keep fabric items on hooks above a cooker or anywhere they could fall onto the heat
keep papers, fats, oils and other flammable items well away from cookers, ovens and microwaves
if you have an eye-level grill, don't keep anything on top of it
make sure any vents in ovens or microwaves are kept clear
never put metal objects in a microwave
don't trail electrical flexes near cookers
don't leave the house if the oven's on - not even using a timer
use a flameless 'spark' lighter to light gas cookers rather than matches or a lighter

Other Kitchen Appliances

Dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers all have powerful heating elements inside.

If something goes wrong, they could start a fire:

don't go out or go to bed while they're still working
always switch them off at the mains before going to bed or going out
they all need lots of power so make sure they don't cause an overload - plug them straight into a wall socket

Candles

Treat lighted candles as you would any other flame:

Don't leave them unattended.
Put them out completely at night.
Keep candles away from anything that can catch fire, like furnishings, fabrics, curtains and so on.
Candles and tea lights can melt plastic surfaces like bath tubs.
Makes sure you always place them on a heat resistant surface.
It only takes a moment's distraction for a fire to start - Keep candles out of reach of children and pets.

Smoking

Put it out - right out!

Cigarette ends can smoulder for ages:

stub out properly in an ashtray - make sure there's no smoke
never leave a cigarette, cigar or pipe unattended
don't balance cigars or cigarettes on the edge of an ashtray or other surface - they can tip and fall as they burn away
pour water on cigar and cigarette ends before putting in a bin
never empty a pipe into a bin - the ember can still be very hot even it's not smoking

Ashtrays

Using a proper ashtray is a good first step to reducing fire risks from smoking:

empty and clean them regularly
douse with water before putting the contents in the bin
empty into a metal bin outside if possible
keep ashtrays free of paper, wrappers and other rubbish that could catch light

Alcohol & Sleepiness

Many fires started by smoking materials also involve alcohol, often late at night when we're naturally sleepy:

take extra care if you've been drinking
never, ever smoke in bed
don't smoke in your chair if you've been drinking or you're feeling sleepy
if you do feel sleepy, smoke outside, standing up or at a window or outside door

Safer Furniture

Your favourite chair could be a death-trap! Older soft furniture catches light more easily and is often filled with foam that burns to produce choking, poisonous fumes.

check furniture labels for fire resistance information - if there's no label, assume it's not fire resistant
furniture made before 1988 is unlikely to be fire-resistant so consider replacing older items or having them re-upholstered
coverings on furniture help increase fire-resistance - replace worn or frayed covers

Matches & Lighters

Every match and lighter is a fire starter! Make sure they only start the ones you want:

keep matches and lighters out of reach of children
keep matches and lighters well away from heat sources
teach children not to play with matches and lighters
teach children to hand any matches or lighters they find to a responsible adult
buy safety matches (ones that only strike on the box)
buy lighters with safety locks and that go out when you let go of them
make sure every match is out before you put it down
make sure lighters are properly out before putting them down
don't throw used matches straight in the bin
put used matches in an ashtray or a metal or ceramic plate and empty it regularly
get a flameless 'spark' lighter to light gas stoves and heaters with