Cooking safely in halls

Watch what you cook!

Most of us cook in the kitchen every day without thinking twice about the safety precautions around cooking, especially with a busy student life. But it only takes one distraction for a small error to turn into a serious fire.

When you're cooking in halls, always remember to watch what you cook!

Keep the hob clear

Whilst it sounds like it's just simple common sense, a lot of fires actually start because things are left too close to the hob.

• Turn pan handles inwards - Someone may walk past and accidentally knock a pan, so it's important to turn the pan handles in.
• Keep tea towels, oven gloves and packaging away from the hob. They can catch fire much faster than you'd expect.
• Be careful if you're wearing loose clothing or oversized sleeves. They can easily brush against a hot ring or dip into hot oil in a pan.

Stay with your food

This is the key thing to remember:

• Don't get distracted while you're cooking. Scrolling on your phone, chatting in someone's room, or just taking a "quick shower" can all lead to an emergency situation, and it's easy to forget you've left something on the hob.
• If you do need to leave the kitchen, either turn the heat down or off, or you can ask one of your flatmates to keep an eye on it. Whilst it may just be a quick errand, sometimes it can take longer than expected, especially if you get distracted.

Know when not to cook

We know late-night food after a night out is tempting, but it's one of the most common fire risks in student accommodation:

• Don't cook if you're intoxicated or you feel even slightly out of it.
• The same goes if you take medication that makes you feel drowsy. It's far safer to grab a cold snack or order food than to risk forgetting you've left something cooking.
• If you're tired or unwell, skip the frying pan.

For moments like these, whether it's late at night or early morning, you can always meal prep and keep food in the freezer/fridge to heat up in the microwave or eat cold.

Before you leave the kitchen

Doing a last check every time you finish cooking can prevent any incident from happening:

• Double-check the hob/oven is off! It's easy to forget or not turn the knobs all the way off.
• Wipe up any oil spills so they don't burn next time - make sure your hob/oven has cooled down before doing this.
• Make sure nothing has been left on or right next to the hob.

Fire alarms in halls

A quick reminder for those living in halls:

• Never cover or tamper with smoke detectors. They're there to protect you and your neighbours.
• Always know where the fire exits are on your floor and keep corridors clear of rubbish/clutter.
• If the fire alarm sounds, leave the building straight away and don't go back for your belongings.
• If there is a fire in the kitchen, don't take risks trying to deal with it yourself. Get out, close the door behind you if it's safe to do so, and sound the alarm.

By taking a bit of extra care every time you use the kitchen, you're not just looking after yourself, you're helping to keep your flatmates, neighbours and community safe. Read more about Fire Safety in halls on our ResLife page.