Whether you already have a fireplace in your home, or are considering installing new fireplaces in the West Midlands, one thing you need to consider is fire safety.

If you have children, or regularly have children visiting your home, it’s essential that you consider how to keep them safe. While fireplaces are a wonderful addition to a cosy living room, you need to be aware of the potential risks to ensure everyone enjoys them safely.

A recent article for the University of Kentucky offered some advice on how to keep kids safe around fire.

It pointed out that the majority of burn injuries in children occur in those under the age of six. There are multiple reasons for this, from slower reflexes which means they won’t remove their hands from something hot as quickly as an older child or adult might, to the fact that they’re more unsteady on their feet and tend to use objects to pull themselves up to standing.

Therefore, one of the simplest ways to keep all the members of your family safe is to have a safety gate or fire guard around your fireplace.

Of course, it goes without saying that you should always watch young children when they’re around fires, even if there’s a fire guard in place.

And if you have a gas fire, make sure that the controls are kept out of reach of youngsters to prevent it from being turned on accidentally.

The UK government recently relaunched its Fire Kills campaign, which encourages homeowners to install working smoke alarms and to regularly test them. It also points out some of the most common causes of house fires, including overloaded extension leads, cigarettes and candles.