When people think of fires, they tend to think of massive natural wildfires or big disasters. What people often don’t realise is that fires can often start due to the smallest of accidents that end up getting out of control. This is why it is important to know the best ways of preventing cooking fires in the home or office.

How to prevent a cooking fire

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of fire is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. For example, you should keep your appliances properly cleaned and in the best state of repair as this will reduce the risk of hazards. You should also unplug appliances that aren’t being used as they could potentially draw energy and cause them to overheat. It is also important to use them properly (for example not putting metal in the microwave. It sounds obvious but even a tiny bit of metal packaging not properly removed could cause damage.)

It is also important to have a smoke detector that is fitted near as opposed to in the kitchen. This prevents the detector from picking up someone grilling a burger or steaming some vegetables and means you are more likely to be alerted by an actual fire.

When using a gas-powered stove, remember to check the instructions. It is also recommended you don’t overfill pans or pots as the spatter could potentially be a fire hazard. You should also be careful, for example tying hair back prevents your hair from getting caught by flames (as well as preventing hairs from getting in your food!)

Flammable items such as towels or pot holders should also be kept away from heat sources. If you have children in the house make sure they do not touch the stove or any sources of heat.

Fire safety in the office

In the office, it is vital that people are aware of fire safety. All of the points above are equally applicable to appliances in the office. However, it is also important people know where the fire exits are and what to do with regard to using fire extinguishers, alarms and so forth.

Stay safe

These may seem overly cautious, but fire safety is important both in the home and the office. If you would like to know more about how you can make your home and office environment safer please talk to us today.