Ignition inspection
You’ll need
- Sticky notes
- Pens or pencils
- Whiteboard or projector (optional)
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
- Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.
Planning and setting up this activity
- You could use a whiteboard, projector or drawing to demonstrate the fire triangle. You could prepare a few examples of how this links with electricity.
- Ensure you remind the young people to move around the space safely.
- For more information on keeping children safe around electricity, you can read the Electrical Safety First advice page.
The fire triangle
The fire triangle is a way to understand what a fire needs to start and keep burning. It has three sides:
- Fuel – something that can burn (like paper, wood, fabric or gas).
- Heat – something that makes things hot enough to catch fire (like a spark, flame or electricity).
- Oxygen – found in the air all around us; it helps fire to stay alive.
If you take away any one side of the triangle, the fire will go out or won’t start at all.
For example, take away the heat by cooling it down, or remove the fuel so there's nothing to burn.
Why does it matter?
Knowing about the fire triangle helps us understand how fires start and how to stop them. If we can spot the three sides of the triangle in our homes, schools or meeting places, we can reduce the risk of fire.
For example:
- Keep paper and fabrics (fuel) away from heaters (heat).
- Turn off electrical items when not in use to reduce heat.
- Close doors to slow down oxygen getting to a fire.
When we know how fires work, we can stay safer and prevent fires before they start.
How does electricity fit in?
Electricity can be part of the heat side of the fire triangle. When electrical things go wrong, they can get very hot and start fires.
Here’s how:
- Overloaded plugs or too many chargers in one socket can overheat.
- Damaged wires can spark.
- Appliances left switched on can get hot.
- Cables under carpets can build up heat and start smouldering.
Electricity itself doesn’t burn, but it can create the heat that starts a fire. So, remember:
- Never overload plugs.
- Unplug things when we’re finished using them.
- Tell an adult if we see a damaged cable or a spark.
- Use official chargers and appliances – avoid cheap or counterfeit chargers that can overheat or cause electric shock.
- Do not use devices if cables are damaged – frayed wires, exposed wiring, or damaged plugs can cause sparks or electric shock.
- Avoid overloading sockets – don’t plug too many devices into one socket or extension lead.
- Keep devices away from water – never use electrical items near sinks, baths, or puddles.
- Keep devices away from flammable materials – paper, curtains, clothes or rugs can catch fire if too close to heat sources.
- Turn off appliances when leaving the room or house and unplug devices that are not in use. This reduces fire risk, prevents overheating and saves energy.
- Store electrical items safely – don’t let cords get pinched under doors or furniture.
- Keep electrical outlets dust-free by locating and positioning extension leads appropriately – dust can build up and become a fire risk.
- Do not use damaged or wet appliances – never use a toaster or hair dryer with water nearby.
- Follow manufacturer instructions – using devices incorrectly can create hazards.
- Report hazards to an adult – frayed wires, sparks, or strange smells should never be ignored.
Running this activity
- Gather everyone together and ask if anyone has heard of the fire triangle. Explain that a fire needs fuel, heat and oxygen, and that if any side is removed, the fire cannot start or will stop spreading.
- Ask if anyone can think of how this might happen with electricity. You could give some examples:
- A damaged or overheating lithium-ion battery (heat) near a pile of clothes or paper (fuel) with air around it (oxygen).
- An electric heater (heat) too close to curtains (fuel).
- Give everyone three sticky notes each, or divide everyone into small teams with a pad of sticky notes each.
- Explain that they'll walk around the room and spot anything that could make a fire start, especially anything with plugs, wires, or batteries.
- Remind them not to touch or move anything they think might be dangerous.
- Encourage them to think about:
- Fuel: Paper, fabrics, dust, wood, plastic, rubbish or flammable liquids.
- Heat: Radiators, chargers, lights, plug sockets, electrical appliances or extension leads.
- Oxygen: Airflow near open windows or fans that could feed a flame.
- Give the group ten minutes to explore and to place sticky notes near possible hazards.
- After the time is up, ask everyone to count how many sticky notes they have placed around the room.
- Tour the meeting space, pausing at each sticky note to ask the group which part of the fire triangle it represents and what could happen if all parts of the triangle came together.
- For each correctly identified hazard, the group can earn a point. Collect the sticky notes as you go.
- After identifying hazards, talk together about how to prevent fires, especially electrical ones:
- Remove fuel: Keep flammable materials away from sockets and heaters.
- Reduce heat: Switch off and unplug unused appliances, don't overload plugs and don't use damaged wires. Ask each person to think of one appliance they often use but sometimes forget to switch off or unplug, and share how they could remember to use it more safely.
- Control oxygen: Keep fire doors closed where appropriate and ensure cupboards stay clean and dust-free.
- Emphasise that understanding the fire triangle .can help us prevent fires before they start, especially those caused by unsafe electrical setups.
Reflection
This activity was all about spotting potential fire hazards in your meeting space and thinking about how electricity could be part of the problem. How many of you had thought about the fire triangle before today? Were there any hazards you noticed that surprised you?
Remember, a fire needs three things to start and keep burning: fuel, heat and oxygen. Electricity can provide heat if appliances are left on, cables are damaged, or sockets are overloaded. If all three sides of the triangle come together, a fire could start. Why do you think removing just one side, such as unplugging an appliance or keeping flammable items away, can make a big difference?
Think about the appliances you often use but sometimes forget to switch off or unplug. How can you make sure they are safer at home or at Scouts? How might you remind yourself or others to check sockets, heaters or other electrical items before leaving a room?
By spotting hazards and thinking about ways to control fuel, heat and oxygen, you can help prevent fires before they even start. What changes will you make in your daily life to stay safe from electrical fires?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
- Active games
The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
- Ensure the space is set up in a way that is accessible for everyone to move around it safely.
- Encourage everyone to move around the space in a way that is appropriate for all.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Overloading extension leads is one of the most common causes of electrical fires. Most household extension leads can handle up to 3,000 watts in total. If the combined wattage of the appliances plugged in goes above that, the lead can overheat and potentially start a fire.
To make it fun and active, you can follow this up with our Extension lead safety relay race activity. This will help the group practise spotting safe and unsafe setups in a hands-on way while reinforcing the importance of electrical safety.