Cigarette Safety-the essentials
More people die in fires caused by smoking than in fires with any other single cause. Because tobacco is designed to stay alight, cigarettes can easily start an accidental fire.
Keep your home and family safe from fire.
Use your common sense-know the risks and make sure when you put it out, it really is out.
Take extra care if you smoke when you’re drowsy, taking prescription drugs, or if you have been drinking. It is too easy to fall asleep and not notice that a cigarette is still burning.
Don’t light up if you need to lie down. Despite the risk of falling asleep or setting the bed on fire, people are still smoking in bed.
People often like to smoke when they are drinking alcohol. But someone who has had a few drinks can end up passing out with a cigarette in their hand. The result? Severe burns, permanent scarring, or even death.
Don’t leave a lit cigarette or pipe lying around. They can easily overbalance as they burn down, land on a carpet or a newspaper and start a fire.
Take responsibility and keep lighters and matches out of reach of children.
Every year children die from starting fires with cigarettes and lighters they shouldn't have.
Consider buying child resistant lighters and matchboxes. Matchboxes now carry a warning label.
Use a proper ashtray. Make sure the ashtray is heavy, can’t tip over easily, and is made of a material that won’t burn.
Never tap your ash into a wastepaper basket-only an ashtray. Make sure it cannot be easily knocked over and do not let ash build up like the one in the picture below.
