Sadly, many fire deaths are caused by carelessness while smoking. This is one of the areas we can offer advice during our Safe and Well Visit.
Safety tips
- Falling asleep with a lit cigarette or pipe can cause a serious fire so never smoke in bed.
- Never empty ashtrays into the bin unless you are sure that they are fully extinguished.
- Never smoke near flammable liquids.
- Don't leave matches or lighters where children can access them.
- Have a smoke detector installed in your home and check it regularly.
E-cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices which simulate tobacco smoking by vaporising a liquid solution into an aerosol mist. They contain lithium-ion batteries which can cause fires due to overcharging, physical damage or defects within them.
There are also a number of unbranded e-cigarette chargers available to consumers, many of which are non-compliant with safety regulations. Specific risks found with these chargers include:
- lack of instructions
- overheating of the charger
- non-conformity of the plug
- electric shock via the secondary parts
- wiring not mechanically retained.
Safety tips
- Only purchase e-cigarettes from a reputable source.
- Always use the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
- Only use the charger supplied with your device.
- Don't leave e-cigarettes unattended while they are charging.
- When charging, keep the e-cigarette and battery pack away from soft furnishings or combustible materials.
- Unplug the battery pack once fully charged and remove the battery.
- Do not 'mix and match' components from different e-cigarette manufacturers.
- Don't over tighten a battery on to the charger - plug the charger in first, then gently screw the battery in until the light on the charger flashes - then stop.
If you would like to quit smoking, visit our help pages to find useful tips and advice.