To stay safe at night:

• make sure your smoke alarms are working, check them once a month
• never smoke in bed
• do not cook when you have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or if you feel very tired
• avoid using your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher overnight

Before going to bed, check that:

• you have closed all doors
• your fire and any heaters are turned off
• all candles have been put out
• all cigarettes are out and ashtrays have a little water in them
• all electrical equipment which is not designed to be left on overnight is turned off, including TVs and DVD players – where possible, avoid leaving them on standby
• your cooker is turned off
• your exit routes are clear
• you have immediate access to your door keys and a phone if possible

This useful Nighttime Checklist leaflet covers simple tips to do before bed.

The kitchen is the most dangerous room in the home. Every year, cooking causes over 50% of accidental fires. 70 people die and over 5,000 people are injured in kitchen fires nationally each year.  Nearly all of these fires involve the cooker.

Most burn and scald accidents happen to children in the kitchen. Children also increase the risk of fire, as they can distract adults while they are cooking.

• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Do not cook when you have been drinking alcohol or taking medication.
• Hot oil is particularly dangerous. Use a deep fat fryer if you can. Never fill a pan more than one third full and don’t throw water on it if it does catch fire.
• Don’t let fat and grease build up on the cooker, especially in the grill pan.
• Never allow children in the kitchen unsupervised.
• Check cookers are turned off when you’re not using them.
• Never hang tea towels on or over the cooker.
• Check that the pan handles are not sticking over the edge of the cooker where they could easily be knocked off or reached by children.
• Check that wires are not hanging from benches where they could easily be caught, or reached and pulled by children.

This useful Kitchen Safety Checklist leaflet covers simple tips to do before bed.

Lots of house fires are caused by faulty or misused electrical and gas equipment.

In winter, the problem is made worse by overloaded sockets, heaters, fires and Christmas lights.

Our advice is:

• don’t overload plug sockets
• check regularly for worn or frayed wires
• unplug appliances when not in use
• don’t leave appliances on overnight or when you’re going out
• keep appliances clean and in good working order
• consider using a residual current device, which works like a circuit breaker to protect against electric shocks and reduce the risk of electrical fires
• keep heaters away from curtains and furniture
• never use a heater to dry clothes
• have your gas appliances serviced every year by a Gas Safe engineer

Children as young as 2 can be fascinated by fire, the flicker of a flame, blowing out birthday candles and the bright colours of lighters.

Always keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children, ideally in your pocket or in a locked drawer or cupboard. Teach children that matches, lighters and candles are tools – not toys – and should only be used by adults.

The flame from a candle can easily cause a fire and some candle holders can get very hot, especially tea-lights. Place them on a safe surface or in suitable holders.

• Always use a candle holder and make sure the candle fits firmly inside it.
• Keep candles away from draughts and curtains, furniture, and anything else that can catch fire.
• Never put lit candles on top of televisions or other non-heat resistant surfaces.
• Never leave candles unattended or go to sleep when they are alight.
• Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
• Never move a candle once it is lit.
• Do not use candles as nightlights for children.  Use a low watt mains or battery light.

For smokers not ready to kick the habit, it’s vital to follow these simple precautions to prevent a fire at home:

• Put it out, right out. Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished.
• Never smoke in bed and take care when you’re tired. It’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and set furniture alight.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol when smoking. It’s easy to lose your concentration when using any sort of drugs or drinking alcohol, combined with cigarettes this could be lethal.
• Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended – they can easily overbalance as they burn down.
• Use a heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn. Add a small amount of water to cool the contents before emptying it into an outside bin.

Stay safe this semester.

For many of you, university is your first time living away from home. We’ve pulled together some simple and small fire safety tips that will keep you safe in your new home.

Remember if you do come across a fire in your home or accommodation, raise the alarm, call 999, close the door, and stay out!

– Cooking after a night out can be tempting but it is much safer to make a sandwich or get a takeaway, be mindful that you could become distracted or fall asleep. It could get burnt and lead to your smoke alarm going off.

– Cooking your favourite meals might create a lot of steam or smoke. So before you start, make sure you have a window open or your extractor fan on.

– Make sure you are charging your electronic devices on hard flat surfaces and you’re keeping an eye on them in case they get hot – they can overheat and potentially cause a fire.

– Don’t spray aerosols right under your smoke detector – the vapour can still set it off.

– Never cover your smoke alarm. Smoke alarms are the first line of response we have to protecting you from a fire in the home and they’ve saved countless lives, so don’t risk it.

We know some of these tips might seem like common sense but once you get into the habit of doing them, you will be much safer in your home.

If you don’t have smoke alarms in your flat or accommodation, please contact us as soon as possible.

If you are found to be misusing or tempering with fire safety equipment, this includes unnecessary call outs – you could be fined.

For more information, read our Student Fire Safety Explainer HERE.

Electric blankets can be dangerous if they’re old or in poor condition. Replace yours if:

• it’s more than 10 years old
• it has a BEAB safety mark (it won’t comply with modern safety standards)
• it’s worn or frayed
• the fabric has scorch marks
• the flex or tie tapes are damaged
• the electrical connection is loose or damaged

You should unplug your electric blanket before you go to bed, unless it has a thermostat for safe overnight use.

Wood burning stoves and wood burning boilers should use only the right quality of wood and need to be properly installed, maintained and regularly serviced by a qualified and competent person.

If your wood burner is not burning correctly, contact the company or shop that sold it to you. Alternatively, contact the Association of British Solid Fuel Appliance Manufacturers for advice.

Follow these guidelines:

• Wood burning stoves and boilers must be placed on a fire-resistant base. Putting them directly onto a hardwood floor or carpeted surface increases the risk of fire due to the extreme heat in the fire box.
• The door to the fire box must be kept closed at all times when in use to prevent burning fuel being ejected from the fire box.
• Only properly seasoned wood should be burned as this will help keep the glass clear of tar deposits. It will also help prevent the build-up of resins on the flue liner that can ignite if an annual clean is not carried out. A recommended moisture level for firewood should be 20% or lower (wood moisture meters can be bought).
• Do not place combustible materials immediately adjacent to the stove. There must be a 150mm minimum gap to the sides of the stove and nothing should be immediately in front of it.
• Empty and check the ash can every day and ensure the ashes are cold before disposal. Wet them if necessary before putting them in your bin.
• Fit a carbon monoxide detector in the same room as the wood burning stove, and test it regularly.
• Flues may need to be cleaned every six months if only wood is burnt or annually if a coal/wood mix is burnt.

Find out how to ‘be gas safe’.

Emollient skin creams and ointments are often used to treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

These products which may contain paraffin, shea or cocoa butter, beeswax, lanolin, nut oil or mineral oils and they work by covering the skin with a protective film or barrier which keeps the moisture in.

They are safe to use but can soak into clothing, dressings and bedding leaving a flammable residue. If exposed to a naked flame or a heat source, such as a cigarette, lighter, gas cooker, heater or fire, these saturated fabrics can catch fire; the residue will help the fire develop and spread rapidly which could result in serious injury or death.

If you or someone you care for uses paraffin-based emollients, you should:

• never smoke in bed
• do not smoke if there is any chance your clothing or dressings could be contaminated with these products
• do not cook if there is any chance your clothing or dressings could be contaminated with these products
• do not sit too close to any open fires, gas fires or halogen heaters
• wash your clothing and bedding daily at the highest temperature recommended by the fabric care instructions. This should reduce some of the contamination but may not remove it completely.