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KS2 House of hazards

In this activity, we have listed various objects in a room. Can you decide whether they are fire hazards or not? Why not print this page out and circle the objects that you think are hazards? Then work out what you should do with the hazard to make it safe: fix it, move it, switch it off, put it out or do nothing. The answers are at the bottom of the page.

Rooms and hazards

Kitchen

  • Frayed wire of an iron
  • Iron on an ironing board
  • Woman leaving kitchen to water garden
  • Mug of tea near the edge of the work surface
  • Microwave
  • Tea towel left on the hob
  • Toaster placed next to cooker and below a cooker
  • Pans on hob with handles turned away from side
  • Smoke alarm
  • Keys by back door
  • Telephone
  • Matches on the sideboard

Lounge

  • Books on mantelpiece
  • Mirror above fireplace
  • Fire without fireguard
  • Three or four appliances plugged into the same socket
  • Stereo on a book shelf
  • Cigarette burning in an ash tray
  • Lighter left on a coffee table
  • Television
  • TV cable trailing across the floor
  • Lamp
  • Cat sitting on the floor
  • TV remote
  • Clothes on the stairs

Children’s bedroom

  • Toys on the floor
  • Clothes on the floor
  • Hi fi on the floor
  • Computer on desk

Parents’ bedroom and bathroom

  • Floor heater next to the bed
  • Lit candles
  • Lamp by bed
  • Picture above the bed
  • Clothes on the stairs
  • Hairdryer on the floor of the bathroom

Answers

Kitchen

  1. Frayed wire of an iron. This is a hazard. You should fix it. Damaged or loose wire can cause a fire.
  2. Iron on an ironing board. This is safe. Although irons get very hot, they are not a fire hazard if they are used properly.
  3. Woman leaving kitchen to water garden. This is a hazard. You should move the woman back into the kitchen! Cooking and irons should not be left when there is no one there to watch them.
  4. Mug of tea near the edge of the work surface. This is a hazard. You should move the mug. Hot drinks can tip over and burn you.
  5. Microwave. This is safe. This is not a hazard if it is used properly.
  6. Tea towel left on the hob. This is a hazard. You should move it. Keep tea towels and clothes away from the cooker. They could catch fire.
  7. Toaster placed next to cooker and below a cooker. This is a hazard. You should move it. Keep all kitchen appliances away from the cooker. Do not use a toaster under a cupboard. It can set fire to the cupboard above it.
  8. Pans on hob with handles turned away from side. This is safe. These pans are only dangerous if the cooking is unsupervised.
  9. Smoke alarm. This is safe. A smoke alarm is a vital safety tool. Check that it is working at least once a week.
  10. Keys by back door. This is safe. This is a good place to leave the keys. Everyone can find them if you need to leave quickly.
  11. Telephone. This is safe. A telephone is really useful in an emergency. You can phone the fire service and tell them you need their help.
  12. Matches on the sideboard. This is a hazard. You should move the matchbox. Also, you should never touch matches if you find them. They are very dangerous and can start fires.

Lounge

  1. Books above the fireplace. This is a hazard. You should move the books. Never leave flammable objects too close to the fireplace.
  2. Mirror above fireplace. This is a hazard. You should move it. Never stand too close to a fire. It is better to have a mirror on a wall away from the fireplace.
  3. Fire without fireguard. This is a hazard. You should move it so that it covers the fire.
  4. Three or four appliances plugged into the same socket. This is a hazard. You should switch the plug off at the wall. There should never be too many plugs in a single socket. Remember: one plug per socket.
  5. Stereo on a book shelf. This is safe.
  6. Cigarette burning in an ash tray. This is a hazard. The cigarette should be put out. However you should ask an adult to do this. If you see cigarettes burning, don’t touch them, as they are very hot at the tip.
  7. Lighter left on a coffee table. This is a hazard and should be moved. Lighters are for grown-ups and children should not play with them.
  8. Television. This is safe. But remember televisions should always be on a flat surface with nothing placed on top of them.
  9. TV cable trailing across the floor. This is a hazard and should be moved. Keep cables tidy away from carpets and mats.
  10. Lamp. This is safe. But remember the bulb can get very hot and burn you -- so don’t touch! And never hang things over the lampshade.
  11. Cat sitting on the floor. This is safe. This cat is not a hazard.
  12. TV remote. This is safe. If only fires could be switched off as easily as a TV.
  13. Clothes on the stairs. This is a hazard. The clothes should be moved. Never leave items on the stairs or in doorways. They could get in your way or make you fall if you need to leave the house quickly.

Children’s bedroom

  1. Toys on the floor. These are a hazard and should be moved. Always put your toys away when you have finished playing with them. You could fall over them if you need to leave the house quickly.
  2. Clothes on the floor. These are a hazard and should be moved. Do not leave clothes on the floor. They could get in your way or make you fall if you need to leave the house quickly.
  3. Hi fi on the floor. This is a hazard and should be moved. Do not leave electronic devices on the floor. You could trip over their wires if you need to leave the house quickly.
  4. Computer on desk. This is safe.

Parents’ bedroom and bathroom

  1. Floor heater next to the bed. This is a hazard and should be switched off. Keep heaters away from bedclothes and curtains. Do not leave a heater on in an empty room.
  2. Lit candles. These are a hazard and should be put out. Candles look nice but have a very hot flame, which should not be touched. Lit candles should not be left near anything which could catch fire or left lit in an empty room.
  3. Lamp by bed. These are safe.
  4. Picture above the bed. This is safe.
  5. Clothes on the stairs. These are a hazard and should be moved. Never leave items on the stairs or in doorways: they could get in your way or make you fall if you need to leave the house quickly.
  6. Hairdryer on the floor of the bathroom. This is a hazard and should be switched off. Hairdryers can get hot and can be dangerous. Let adults use them for you. Never leave an electrical object like a hairdryer plugged in and lying on the floor.

 

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