3.2. List possible fire hazards to young children and adults in a house

This guide will help you answer 3.2. List possible fire hazards to young children and adults in a house.

Fire hazards in the home can affect both young children and adults. Understanding them helps people to take steps that reduce risk. A hazard is anything that increases the chance of a fire starting or spreading. Young children are at greater risk because they may not understand danger. Adults are at risk when hazards are overlooked or ignored.

Kitchen Hazards

The kitchen is often the location with the highest risk. It contains heat sources, flammable materials and electrical equipment.

Common kitchen fire hazards include:

• Unattended cooking on the hob or in the oven
• Pans of hot oil used for frying
• Tea towels, oven gloves or paper towels left near a hob
• A grill pan full of grease
• Gas hobs with leaking connections
• Portable cooking appliances such as toasters or sandwich makers close to curtains or other fabrics
• Kettles with damaged cords or unsafe plugs

Children may pull pans, reach for kettles or touch hot appliances which can lead to burns and fires. Adults can be distracted and leave cooking unattended which greatly increases risk.

Living Room Hazards

The living room can present hazards from heating, electrical devices and candles.

Some risks in living rooms include:

• Portable electric heaters placed near sofas, rugs or curtains
• Open fires with no fireguard
• Candles left burning near paper or fabric
• Lamps with damaged wiring
• Overloaded extension leads powering televisions, games consoles and computers
• Matches and lighters left within reach of children
• Flammable decorations such as paper or artificial flowers near lamps or heaters

Children are drawn to flames and glowing lights. Adults may underestimate how quickly fabric can catch fire from a candle or heater.

Bedroom Hazards

Bedrooms can contain a number of hidden fire risks.

Bedroom hazards include:

• Electric blankets left switched on for long periods
• Overheated plug-in heaters
• Hair straighteners or curling tongs left on beds or carpets
• Smoking in bed
• Candles on bedside tables next to books or curtains
• Faulty bedside lamps with loose wiring
• Chargers for phones or tablets left running all night on duvets

Children can knock over candles or touch hot items. Adults can fall asleep while using electrical or heat-based equipment which starts fires.

Bathroom Hazards

Bathrooms are less common sources of fire but can still present risks.

Hazards include:

• Electrical items such as hairdryers, shavers or straighteners left plugged in
• Faulty extractor fans
• Tumble dryers in adjoining utility areas with lint build-up
• Storage of aerosols near heat sources
• Electric heaters installed without proper safety controls

Children might play with electrical appliances without understanding danger. Adults can forget to maintain appliances and wiring.

Utility Room and Laundry Hazards

Utility areas often contain powerful electrical machines.

Hazards involving laundry equipment include:

• Lint or dust build-up in tumble dryers
• Overloaded washing machines leading to overheating
• Storing cleaning chemicals near sources of heat
• Plug sockets shared by multiple high-power machines using adapters
• Irons left switched on and unattended

Children might try to press buttons or touch hot irons. Adults may forget to clean filters or overuse multi-plug adapters which can cause overheating.

Heating Systems Hazards

Heating systems produce heat and can ignite materials if used unsafely.

Risks may include:

• Gas boilers with poor ventilation
• Radiators placed under curtains
• Portable heaters used without clearance space
• Chimneys not cleaned, leading to blockages and fire risk
• Poorly serviced central heating units

Children may place toys near heaters. Adults may dry clothes directly over heat sources without thinking about fire risk.

Electrical System Hazards

Electricity can create heat and sparks leading to fires.

Main hazards include:

• Overloaded plug sockets
• Damaged cables with exposed wires
• Use of old appliances without safety approval
• Loose plugs creating sparks
• Use of adapters to run multiple devices from one socket
• Placing electrical cords under carpets where they can overheat

Children may chew cords or play with plugs. Adults can overlook damaged wiring or use unsafe appliances.

Smoking Hazards

Smoking materials create obvious fire dangers.

Hazards from smoking include:

• Cigarettes not fully stubbed out before being thrown away
• Hot ashes tipped into bins containing paper or fabric
• Matches or lighters left where children can reach them
• Falling asleep while smoking
• Smoking near oxygen equipment for medical use

Young children can imitate adults. Adults can become careless and drop ash or embers without realising.

Candles and Open Flame Hazards

Any open flame is a fire hazard.

Common risks include:

• Candles on unstable surfaces
• Candles close to curtains or books
• Tea lights placed directly on flammable furniture
• Oil lamps without safe containers
• Large candles in glass holders that overheat and crack

Children may knock over candles. Adults can forget to extinguish them before leaving the room.

Flammable Liquids Hazards

Flammable liquids can catch fire quickly.

Examples are:

• Petrol stored in garages or sheds
• Paint thinner or turpentine
• Cleaning solvents kept in warm cupboards
• Nail polish remover left near heat
• Alcohol-based products stored near stoves or heaters

Children may open containers and spill liquids. Adults sometimes store these materials without ventilation.

Household Clutter Hazards

Clutter can feed a fire and make it spread faster.

Hazards include:

• Newspapers stacked near heaters
• Boxes of clothing or fabric placed in attics without protection
• Overloaded shelves of books near candles
• Toys and paper left near cooking areas

Children might scatter papers or fabric near stoves. Adults might stack boxes against heaters without noticing.

Christmas and Holiday Hazards

Festive periods bring special risks.

Hazards include:

• Fairy lights with damaged wires
• Lights used outdoors without weather protection
• Dry Christmas trees near heaters
• Paper decorations close to fireplaces
• Unattended candles used for decoration

Children are often drawn to lights and decorations. Adults can forget about safety while preparing celebrations.

Garage and Shed Hazards

Outbuildings can contain dangerous items.

Hazards include:

• Storage of petrol or diesel in unsuitable containers
• Gas cylinders stored without securing
• Large quantities of paper or cardboard near heat sources
• Electrical tools used with damaged leads

Children may play there without supervision. Adults might keep flammable materials close together.

Prevention Steps

While the question focuses on hazards, knowing prevention steps helps workers identify and remove risk during assessments or daily work with families.

Simple prevention actions include:

• Keep matches, lighters and hot items away from children
• Use guards for open fires and heaters
• Maintain electrical wiring and appliances
• Cook only when present and attentive
• Keep flammable liquids away from heat sources
• Avoid overloading sockets

These steps protect both adults and children from risk.

Final Thoughts

Fire hazards exist in every room of a house. Some may be obvious, like unattended cooking or candles near curtains. Others can be hidden, such as damaged cords under carpets or lint in a tumble dryer. Spotting them requires a careful look at both adult and child behaviour, the layout of the home, and how items are stored.

Young children are curious and quick to explore. They do not see the danger in flames, hot surfaces, or electrical items. Adults must be reminded that small oversights can lead to dangerous fires. By recognising the hazards listed, an early years worker can talk to families about small changes that make the home safer for everyone.