Many accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen and are caused mainly by cooking. A few safety measures can help keep you and your family safe.
- Take extra care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk.
- Avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol.
- Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking. Keep matches and sauce pan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.
- Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – they can easily catch fire.
- Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
- Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking
Kitchen Electrics
- Keep electrics (leads and appliances) away from water.
- Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls.
- Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.
- Don’t put anything metal in the microwave
Deep Fat Frying
- Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily. If the oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
- Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer. They can’t overheat. If a pan catches fire, turn off the heat if it’s safe to do so. Never throw water over it.
- Don’t tackle the fire yourself.