Candle fire safety week takes place from the 21st to the 27th October, timed to coincide with a period when candle use rises both in homes and in businesses. Events like Halloween and Bonfire night, the run up to Christmas, and the arrival of darker nights encourage many of us to light more candles than we’d tend to use in the summer months. But unfortunately, that means the risk of candle-related fires increases too.
According to the Home Office there are over 1,000 candle fires each year and most candle-related house fires happen between October and February. Last year, a house in Somerset was damaged by fire and smoke after a tea light was used in a novelty plastic skull as part of Halloween celebrations. And a family in Essex was left homeless just days before Christmas last year after a fire broke out due to an unattended candle overheating on a glass table.
Candles present risks in businesses and organisations too
Candle-related fires don’t only happen in houses though.
A fire broke out last March in this shop storeroom in Bermondsey, London due to a candle left unattended. Places of worship can be high-risk environments; candles are often used during services, particularly at this time of year, and tea lights are sometimes available for visitors to light too. In the run up to Christmas, many hospitality businesses use candles to create a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. But care must be taken. They can easily be knocked off tables or not properly extinguished at the end of an evening. And their use in environments where customers might be drinking alcohol increases the risk level as well.
The reality is that anywhere there’s a lit candle, there’s a raised fire risk.
Reducing the risk of candle-related fires
Ideally, opt to use LED candles to eliminate the risk. But if you do want to allow the use of real candles in your business, make sure you highlight that in your fire risk assessment process. And then identify the steps you need to take to mitigate the potential risks. They should include having fire extinguishers and fire blankets located close by, as well as having properly maintained fire detection equipment. Ensure you have an effective evacuation plan in place and make sure it’s regularly reviewed to reflect any changes to risks.
If you rent out any form of accommodation, whether for shorter periods of time such as for holidays or for longer periods like university terms, clearly communicate the rules about candle use. Depending on the nature of the accommodation you might want to completely ban their use, or at least highlight the measures people must take to minimise risks if using them.
Using candles with care
If you do intend to use real candles at home or in your business premises, here are some points to keep in mind to reduce the fire risk:
- Choose your candle carefully. Go for high-quality, slow-burning candles if possible. Some candles have added elements such as dried petals or fruit and while they can look attractive, they are likely to raise the risk. Depending on the way they’ve been manufactured, fragranced candles can also have a higher level of risk associated with them. And never add essential oils to enhance the fragrance.
- Think about your candle holder. Make sure it’s heat resistant and not flammable. If you’re using tealights, don’t put too many into a holder without leaving sufficient spacing – if they’re placed too close together they could flare up. If you’re using jars, make sure they’re heatproof to avoid them shattering.
- Be careful where you locate candles. Make sure they’re on a stable surface in a well-ventilated area where they are unlikely to get knocked over. Don’t put them close to highly combustible materials either and never leave them burning anywhere that there’s a draft.
- Secondary ignition is a common cause of candle fires. It’s basically when contaminants in the wax pool act as another wick and increase the size of the flame. Never throw a matchstick into a candle after lighting it. And check the surface of the candle if it hasn’t been used for a while in case dust or any other contaminants have built up on the surface.
And finally, it should go without saying – never leave candles unattended and always remember to extinguish them.
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