Council and democracy

Is your kitchen safe?

Over 50% of all fire in the home start in the kitchen. There are many hazards to consider, such as cookers, microwaves and other sources of intense heat. Here’s our advice:

Chip and hot oil pans

4000 people are injured in chip pan fires each year and they cause one fifth of all accidental dwelling fires attended by the Fire and Rescue Service.

Tips for deep frying include:

• Don’t ever leave the pan unattended – fire starts when your attention stops.
• If the oil starts to smoke, don’t put the food in. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
• Don’t be tempted to deep fry chips if you’ve consumed alcohol
• Never fill a chip pan more than one third full of oil
• Dry food before putting it in (water can make the oil explode)

Cookers

• Never leave hot pans unattended, especially chip pans
• Ensure the correct heat source is switched on
• Don't leave pan handles sticking out from the cooker
• Keep kitchen roll away from the cooker
• Keep oven door shut
• Don't trail electrical leads across the cooker
• Keep your cooker clean from fat and grease
• Ensure all controls are switched off after cooking
• Ventilation: make sure your ventilation is working properly and not blocked up, especially if you have a gas cooker.
• If you're called away from the cooker - by the phone, say, or by someone at the door - take pans off the heat. It's the easiest thing in the world to forget about them. Don't let yourself be distracted while cooking.

Toasters

• Keep toasters away from curtains and clean out regularly

Microwaves

• Don't dry clothes in the microwave
• Never place metal, reflective or foil containers in a microwave - only use appropriate plastic or ceramic containers

Electrical

• Make sure electrical sockets are not loose and check that plugs are fused and wired correctly
• Don't trail extension cables across the floor and check that the cable is in good order
• Don't overload power sockets - one plug, one socket is safest.
• Don't allow electrical appliances or cables near water - do not place a plant pot or anything wet or damp on top of an electrical appliance

General safety in the kitchen

• The risk of fire accidents is greater when alcohol has been consumed. The two don’t mix!
• Never put a lighted cigarette down except in an ashtray; empty in to a suitable container outside the building
• Don't place oven gloves near to direct heat
• Don't hang tea towels over a heat source
• Keep the floor clean and dry and ensure all floor coverings are non slip
• Keep detergents and chemicals in a safe place correctly labelled and out of childrens' reach consider child-proof locks to prevent access by young children
• Don't risk steam scalds by reaching over the kettle
• Never leave hot liquids in easy reach of children

Dealing with a fire in the kitchen

• Get out if you're not sure you can handle the fire.
• If it's spread from its starting point then it's almost certainly already too big for you to deal with.
• If it's an electrical fire: pull the plug out or switch off the power at the fusebox. This may stop the fire immediately.
• If a pan catches fire, don't move it (it could give you terrible burns).
• Turn off the heat if it's safe to do so - but never lean over the pan to the controls.
• Leave the pan to cool completely for at least 30 minutes before attempting to move it.
• If you can't deal with the fire, close the door on the way out and call 999.

Want more advice?

Then call our fire safety experts on either Stevenage 01438-737399, or Watford 01923-471399.