Although most students likely aren’t thinking about fire safety in their accommodation, it’s important to have awareness about the ways you can keep yourself and others safe in your house/complex.
Here are some things you can look out for which will help you stay safe in your student accommodation.
Be Mindful of Your Electronics and Cables
As a student, it is likely that you will either be
purchasing electronics that are budget friendly, or sourcing used ones for
cheap. Although this will help with your wallet, it could put you at risk when
you are in your accommodation. Make sure you check any new appliances and
extension cables, whilst also checking them throughout the year, to ensure all
of the cabling is intact and working properly.
Avoid Covering Your Heaters
As tempting as it can be to hang clothes on your heaters, this can be very dangerous. Most student studios have electric heaters, which will have a higher chance of starting a fire when items like clothes are covering them. Although gas heaters are slightly safer, it’s still not the best idea to leave clothes on them overnight while you are sleeping.
Never Leave Your Cooking Unattended
As annoying as it might seem to wait around while your food cooks, even slipping out to the loo or to your bedroom for a few minutes is still enough time for a fire to break out. Any time you cook anything on the hob, it’s vital that you stay in the same room, keeping an eye on it at all times.
Similarly, never leave food in your oven while you pop out of the house. Even if your meal should take a longer period of time to cook, it is never safe to leave your food unattended, as things can easily go wrong and cause a fire to start.
Don’t Cook Food Under the Influence
This seems fairly self-explanatory, but people still do it. It is quite common to feel hungry after a night out, but cooking is never the answer. This is a hazard because whilst under the influence, you are more likely to burn yourself, walk away and forget about your food, or not notice when a fire that has started.
Try preparing something before you leave that you can eat cold when you get home, to satisfy the hunger. You can also take advantage of the amazing takeaways that are located throughout Selly Oak!
Never Put Tins, Foil or Any Metal in the Microwave
This is actually a pretty big issue that many students don’t realise when they first move away from home. Putting any form of metal into the microwave will instantly create sparks, likely followed by a fire. It can be so quick that you might have very little time or opportunity to even attempt to put it out.
Be Cautions When Frying with Oil
It’s always essential to be extra careful when you are
frying with hot oil. Not only is oil dangerous for the potential burns it can
cause, but it can also erupt in flames if mixed with water or other liquids. To
help prevent this, make sure any food you are cooking is dry, and never leave
it unattended.
Do Not Use Candles in Your Accommodation
As tempting as it is to use candles in your student accommodation, there is a reason why they are against the rules. A large number of fires are caused by candles, and the number is constantly rising. Leaving a candle lit, or knocking it over is simply way too easy to do, which is why they are such a huge risk. Try buying inexpensive lamps and/or fairy lights to create mood lighting in your property. They can give the desired effect, whilst also being significantly safer to use.
Choosing Unihousing Accommodation
Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.
Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.
