Fire safety

Smoking and vaping safety

Smoking is the most common cause of fire deaths in the home. Reduce the risk by smoking outside, quitting or switching to a vape and keeping your home smoke free.

If you do smoke:

• Do not smoke when drinking alcohol or feeling drowsy
• Always use a proper ashtray with water in the bottom
• Keep lighters and matches away from children
• Never leave a lit cigarette unattended
• Make sure cigarettes are completely out – wet them to be sure
• Ensure contents of the ashtray are completely cool before emptying into the bin
• Never smoke in bed and take extra care when smoking if you are feeling tired, it is easy to fall asleep whilst smoking

 

Vaping

E-cigarettes (or electronic cigarettes) have become a popular alternative to smoking. This is also known as vaping.

To reduce your risk of fire or accidents:

• only use the charger supplied with your vaping kit
• read the instructions and warnings provided by the manufacturer
• do not over-tighten the screwed connection to the battery
• do not leave your e-cigarette on charge overnight or unattended
• only buy chargers with the CE mark
• do not use chargers if connections or cables are damaged

 

Electrical safety

• Make sure plug sockets are not overloaded
• Do not use ‘cube’ type adaptors
• Do not use damaged cables
• Only use the charger provided with the equipment
• Turn off and unplug anything electrical that does not need to be left on
• Switch off washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers whilst you are asleep
• Don’t run cords under carpeting, bedding, or other combustible materials
• All electrical products should be used safely and in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions
• Register your electrical appliances to make sure you are alerted when there is a safety concern with the product. Register your appliances at registermyappliance.org.uk

 

Kitchen safety

More fires and fire injuries are caused by carelessness in the kitchen than anywhere else in the home.

• Always stay with your cooking
• Follow cooking instructions carefully
• Never put metal in your microwave
• Keep worktops clear from clutter
• Keep tea towels and clothes away from the cooker and hob
• Keep cooking appliances free from grease build up
• If you deep fry food, use an electric deep fat fryer that has a thermostat
• Avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol or medications which make you drowsy
• Double check your cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking

 

Candles

• Make sure you put out any candles, incense and oil burners when you leave the room and especially before bed
• Always use candles and incense sticks in a proper holder, use a heat resistant holder on a stable surface
• Keep candles away from soft furnishings
• Keep candles and naked flames out of reach of children and pets

Reduce the risk of candle fires by replacing tea light candles for low risk battery powered LED candles.

 

Heaters

• Make sure that portable heaters or radiators are plugged into their own socket and not into an extension lead
• Keep the heater away from flammable material
• Have your boiler serviced every year
• Make sure heaters are well maintained and in good working order
• Where appropriate, secure heaters against a wall to stop them falling over, or fit wall mounted heaters
• Keep heaters well away from clothes, curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes
• Always sit at least one metre away from a heater as it could set light to your clothes or chair
• Before attempting to move your heater, turn it off and allow it to cool

 

Open fires and log burners

• Do not store logs close to a wood burner or fire
• Keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained
• Use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks and hot embers
• Before you go to bed, ensure fires are right out
• Make sure your chimney is swept by a professional at least once a year for coal and twice a year if you are burning logs

 

Medications, Emollient creams and Medical oxygen

• Avoid smoking and cooking whilst taking medications that make you drowsy or affect your ability to react quickly
• Some emollient creams can be flammable, stay away from naked flames and wash clothing and bedding regularly to prevent build up. If you use paraffin-based emollient creams, ask for non-flammable alternatives
• Never smoke if you use medical oxygen, or an airflow pressure relief mattress. Stay at least 3 metres from heat sources and leave an hour for oxygen to disperse before cooking
• If you have a medical need for gas cylinders, they should be kept upright and outdoors where possible. Do not store cylinders in basements, under stairs or in cupboards with electric equipment

 

Hoarding

High levels of clutter make it much easier for a fire to start. The clutter means that a fire has a greater risk of spreading, which increases the risk of death or injury. Clutter can also make it very difficult to escape.

• Newspapers, mail, boxes etc. stored in bulk are highly combustible and will cause a fire to spread rapidly
• Ensure items are stored on stable surfaces
• Do not stack items to a height that they become unstable – they could fall over blocking your escape route
• Do not place items on or close to heaters, lamps, or other electrical equipment
• Plan and practice how to escape from your home if there was a fire. Choose an escape route and keep it clear of possessions

 

Bedtime routine

You are more at risk from a fire when asleep, so it’s important to check your home before you go to bed.

Working smoke alarms should wake you if a fire breaks out. Follow these simple steps before you go to bed to further reduce your risk of fire.

• Close internal doors at night to stop a fire from spreading
• Turn off and unplug electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on, such as fridges and freezers
• Check your cooker is switched off
• Don’t leave the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher on overnight
• Turn portable heaters and gas fires off, make sure log burners are out completely
• Do not charge mobile and electrical devices overnight
• Make sure escape routes are clear of anything that could slow you down in an emergency
• Ensure your door keys are by the door and easy to access
• Ensure mobility aids are close to hand for those who require them
• Take your mobile with you and ensure you can call 999 in an emergency

 

Polystyrene ceiling tiles

Polystyrene is a highly flammable or easily ignited product.

Polystyrene tiles were fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s. They were used for thermal insulation reasons, to conceal defects in ceilings and were regarded as being attractive to look at.

Early types of these tiles can be a fire hazard. When they burn, flames can spread quickly, give off toxic fumes and drip blobs of hot molten plastic, which can potentially cause skin burns.

If you have polystyrene ceiling tiles, make sure you have a fire escape route that avoids passing underneath them to avoid the risk of burns from hot dripping plastic.

Whilst newer polystyrene tiles contain a flame retardant additive, many older ones do not and it is advisable to remove them.