food cooking on gas stovetop

National Fire Prevention Week is October 4-10. This article offers tips to mitigate fire hazards in your facility.

According to The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), cooking continues to be the main contributor to home fires, which is why cooking safety is the focus of the National Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 4 - 10. NFPA has pointed out that cooking safety has particular importance in 2020, as people continue to avoid restaurants and cook their meals at home, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To assist in fire prevention, Nationwide Loss Control Services has a team of safety professionals who strive to ensure that our customers’ workers and tenants stay safe. We encourage our customers to participate in this year’s National Fire Prevention Week to focus on kitchen/cooking safety and reinforce the importance of fire prevention.

It isn’t just homes that are at risk, though. Many commercial buildings have cooking areas or use cooking appliances that could present a fire hazard:

  • Restaurants
  • Schools
  • Convenience stores
  • Cafeterias
  • Food courts
  • Catering businesses
  • Nursing homes and Senior Living facilities
  • Churches
We have a resource to get you started. The tips in this resource, as well as those listed below provide a high level of oversight to assist with your safety structure. Your organization is responsible for the development of your own written program guidelines and policies for the oversight of your operation.

Here are just a few things you can do to try to keep cooking areas safe:

  • Keep combustibles away from your stovetop.
  • Never leave the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food.
  • If you are baking or roasting food, check it regularly and use a timer.
  • Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking; loose sleeves can catch fire or snag on a pot handle.
  • Keep the kitchen’s stovetop and oven clean; food or grease residues can easily catch fire.
  • Keep a Class K fire extinguisher nearby; do not use water on a grease fire; if a fire burns out of control, exit the building and call 911.
We hope you’ll consider these and other fire prevention topics and join us October 4 - 10 for National Fire Prevention Week. Need more information? Loss Control Services provides 24/7 access to resources at www.MyLossControlServices.com, including click to chat. You may also reach us by email at LCS@nationwide.com or by phone at 1-866-808-2101.

Sources of Additional Information:

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