Fire safety

Most fires start in kitchens, so make sure yours is safe.

• A major cause of fire is the build-up of fat and oil in pans, as it can easily ignite when heated. Clean your pans regularly.
• If a pan catches fire, don't attempt to move it. Only turn off the heat if it's safe to do so.
• Never use water on an oil pan fire. Water will expand the oil and make the fire worse.
• Don't leave cooking unattended. Take pans off the heat or turn the heat down if you're called away from the cooker and turn the cooker off when you aren't using it.
• Alcohol and some medicines can make you feel drowsy or impair your judgement. If you've been drinking alcohol and/or taking medicines that have this effect, you should avoid using cooking appliances.

• Make sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them.
• Keep to one plug per socket, especially for high-powered appliances like washing machines and freezers.
• Don't overload freezers or fridge freezers, especially older models.
• Electrical leads shouldn't be run under carpets, as damage will go unseen. Don't use damaged cables or plugs – throw them away straight away.
• Unplug appliances when you aren't using them and when you're asleep, to help reduce the risk of fire.
• Don't charge mobile phones when you're asleep, especially on your bed or under your pillow. Batteries can overheat and catch fire.
• If you have a tumble dryer, make sure to regularly remove the fluff that accumulates in the filter.
• If you use a portable heater, use an oil filled one instead of a halogen, bar or convector heater.
• Always keep clothes, curtains and furniture well away from heaters.
• Keep an eye on the Electrical Safety First  page where you can register your appliances and check for any product recalls.

We want you to enjoy use of your balcony, but we want you to do this safely. We expect all our customers to take the following simple steps:

• Keep your balcony free of any flammable items and materials. For example, you may be surprised to hear that a kilo of plastic is equivalent to a kilo of fuel, which is why we ask you to limit the amount of storage you have there. Flammable materials include items such as large storage boxes, cushions, small balcony sheds, tins of paint, and electrical appliances such as dryers and fridges, etc.
• Never store gas cylinders on your balcony. There's a risk they may explode if they're left in the sun, even in winter.
• Never use barbecues, chimineas, fire pits or patio heaters on your balcony. Fires caused by these types of items can spread very quickly to the balcony above and below. They could also spread quickly into your property if doors or windows are left open.
• Don't smoke on a balcony or allow guests to do so. If you don't follow this advice, then it's important that you stub cigarettes out in a closed metal ashtray. Don't drop cigarettes on or over the side of the balcony, as this can cause a fire.
• Never use or store fireworks on your balcony (or anywhere in your home). If you have fireworks that you no longer want, some fire services will collect them free of charge and arrange to dispose of them safely.
• If the balcony is a communal balcony, it may be a fire escape route and therefore should be kept clear of any items at all times so you and your neighbours can get out safely if you need to.

• Always use the refuse bins provided on site wherever possible.
• Always keep rubbish away from buildings and doors.
• Always keep exits and escape routes clear, as rubbish may prevent your escape and stop fire fighters accessing the building.

Smoking isn't allowed in communal areas. If you choose to smoke inside your own property, never throw cigarettes on the floor, out of a window or over a balcony. Make sure you put cigarettes out fully and dispose of them correctly.

We understand that you want the entrance to your home to feel welcoming, but it's really important that items are NOT stored in corridors and stairwells.

• Items left in shared areas or corridors can act as fuel for fire and obstruct escape routes. Please don’t leave anything like bikes or buggies in corridors or communal areas.
• Never wedge communal doors open or shut.
• Please don’t smoke in communal areas and don’t let your family or any visitors to your home smoke in these areas.
• If you notice any repairs needed in communal areas, let us know as quickly as possible so we can fix these. This is even more important if you think the repair could relate to fire safety, such as a broken fire door.
• Don't tamper or interfere with any self-closing devices fitted to fire doors. These are intended to close doors in the event of a fire.

If our staff see items in shared areas that present a serious fire hazard, they may remove them without notice. If you see anything obstructing a shared area, please report it by contacting us on 0300 365 3100.

Find out more about how we keep shared areas safe.

Fire doors are an important part of fire safety in your home. They can protect you from the spread of smoke and fire. Never leave fire doors propped open and don't disable the closer. If you see a fire door that's damaged, report it to us so we can repair it.

Being prepared for a fire can save lives. With everyone in your household:

• Make sure you know what the fire evacuation strategy is for your building (if you live in a flat this information will be on signs in your building).
• Plan what to do if there's a fire in your home.
• Familiarise yourself with your escape route out of the building (and an alternative route in case your first route isn't accessible).
• Keep any escape routes clear of obstacles.
• Make sure you know where the keys to the front door and windows are kept.
• Learn how to navigate the stairs in darkness so you could do the same in thick smoke.
• If you envisage needing help to leave the building in the event of a fire due to restricted mobility or a disability, or for any other reason, inform us as soon as possible and we'll put a specific plan in place for you and alert the fire service to your needs.

Thankfully, there are relatively few fires, but when they do occur it's vital that you know what to do.

If you live in a house, you should get out of the property as soon as you can by the safest means possible and shouldn't return until the fire service says you can.

If you live in a flat, follow the safety instructions on the notices displayed around your building. Your building will have either a “Delayed Evacuation” strategy, sometimes known as stayput, or an “evacuation” strategy depending on its design and/or any specific arrangement that may temporarily be put in place.

It's important to remember that, regardless of the strategy for your building, if at any time you're affected by smoke or fire, feel it's unsafe to stay in your property (even if the fire is somewhere else in the building), or you're instructed to leave by the Fire and Rescue Service, you should leave the building by the nearest exit, closing any doors behind you.

If you're in a communal area and discover a fire, you should leave the building immediately – don't return to your flat. If your building has an alarm point in the communal area, you should activate this as you leave to alert others in the building to the fire.

Call 999 as soon as it's safe to do so – the sooner you call the fire service, the sooner they'll arrive to help.

Don't tackle a fire yourself unless you've received training in how to do this – you could be putting yourself and others in more danger.

Try to stay calm and, if you can, close all doors and windows to prevent smoke and fire spreading.

You shouldn't use a lift in the event of a fire in case you become trapped. You should always use the emergency exit staircases and designated fire escape routes.

Once you've left your property, you shouldn't return until the fire service says you can.

If you have a smoke detector in your home, you should regularly check that it's working. If it's battery operated you should also change the batteries when necessary.

Vacuuming your smoke alarm will remove dust and dirt that can stop it from working. If you're concerned that your smoke alarm may not work, contact us as soon as possible.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible gas that can cause serious illness, brain damage and even death. You can't see, smell or taste it, so it's very hard to detect without a CO alarm.

CO is produced when fuels, such as natural gas, wood, coal or propane, are burned incompletely (because an appliance is faulty or there's a blocked flue or chimney, for example).

Common sources of carbon monoxide will come from your:

• Boiler
• Fireplace
• Cooker.

If you have a gas boiler in your home, it’s important to allow Habinteg’s contractors to service it each year. During the service visit, a gas engineer will also check your CO alarm and, if it’s not working properly and they need to, they'll replace the alarm. Find out more about gas safety here.

Carbon monoxide alarms in your home can be battery powered or hard wired into your mains supply. They should be placed up high, about 1 to 3 metres from the gas or fossil fuel appliance you're monitoring for leaks. They can be on a shelf, fixed to a wall or a ceiling, or free standing.

You need to ensure alarms aren't covered or blocked by anything. If on a ceiling, the alarm should be mounted at least 30cm from any wall. If on a wall, the alarm should be mounted at least 15cm from the ceiling, but as a rule, placing an alarm at head height is sufficient.

Note that CO can also come from any fuel-burning appliance such as:

• Oil or solid fuel cookers
• Gas or paraffin heaters
• Oil and gas boilers
• Portable generators
• Wood or gas fireplaces
• Cigarette smoke.

Symptoms of mild carbon monoxide poisoning include slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, moving to severe headache, drowsiness, confusion and fast heart rate in medium symptoms. CO symptoms are often described as ‘flu-like’.

If you think you may have a carbon monoxide leak:

1. Open all doors and windows.
2. Turn off any appliances, if possible.
3. You and anyone else in your home should then leave the property.
4. Once you’re a safe distance away, call the National Gas Service on 0800 111 999 and report the leak.

Seek medical help for anyone you think might have carbon monoxide poisoning. Don't go back inside your home until you're told it's safe to do so by the National Gas Service or a gas engineer.