Smoking safety
Smoking is one of the leading causes of accidental fires in the home, and the consequences can be devastating. By taking a few simple precautions when smoking, you can significantly reduce the risk of a fire starting and help keep yourself, your family and your property safe:
- Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended - they can easily overbalance as they burn down.
- Never smoke around flammable liquids, materials, or fabrics.
- Tap your ash into an ashtray, never a wastebasket containing other rubbish - and don't let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray.
- Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can't tip over easily and is made of a material that won't burn.
- Take extra care when you're tired, taking any sort of drugs or have been drinking alcohol. It's very easy to fall asleep without while your cigarette is still burning.
- Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, don't light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire.
- Buy child-resistant lighters and matchboxes and keep them where children can't reach them.
- When you’re finished with your cigarette, put it out, right out!