Cooking

More than half of accidental fires at home are started by cooking - follow our cooking safety advice to stay safe in your kitchen.

Take care if you need to leave the kitchen while cooking. Take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk
Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe
Make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked off the stove
Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this 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

Take care with 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

Deep fat frying

Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily
Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil so it doesn’t splash
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 your pan catches fire, turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Never throw water over it

Outdoor cooking

Enjoy yourself, but don’t drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue or any cooking!
Keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies
Follow the safety instructions provided with disposable barbecues
Never use a barbecue indoors
Never use petrol or paraffin to start or revive your barbecue; use only recognised lighters or starter fuels on coal
Never leave a barbecue or any cooking unattended
Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste
Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they’re hot, they can melt the plastic and start a fire