Cooking Oil Fires: Key Safety Guidelines and How to Effectively Train Employees

In both Poland and worldwide, fires caused by cooking represent one of the most common causes of household and commercial kitchen fires. Cooking oil and fat fires are a significant threat in both workplace and home settings. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 49% of all household fires start in the kitchen.

Despite widespread awareness of the risks, many people still make mistakes when faced with such situations. This article aims to outline how to properly respond to an oil fire and how to effectively train employees to minimize the risk of serious accidents.

Common Mistakes When Extinguishing Cooking Oil Fires

The most common mistake made during an oil fire is trying to extinguish it with water, which leads to violent explosions and burns.

Why Water is Not the Solution

• The ignition temperature of cooking oil is around 370°C, and when water comes into contact with hot oil, it instantly turns into steam, creating extreme fireball projections.

• The boiling water phenomenon results in a rapid increase in pressure when water meets hot oil, leading to explosions of flaming oil, which can spread several meters and endanger those nearby.

Proper Oil Fire Extinguishing Methods

• Lid or Pot Cover: The safest method is to cover the pan with a lid or simply move the pan to a safe, cool surface. This cuts off the oxygen supply, reducing combustion.

• Class F Fire Extinguisher: Kitchens, especially commercial kitchens, should be equipped with Class F fire extinguishers specifically designed for oil fires. Other extinguishers may be ineffective and dangerous for oil fires.

• Specialized Fire Suppression Agents: In some cases, fire suppression agents such as foam-based or powder-based agents specifically designed for fats and oils can be useful.

Safety Training: Key Procedures and Protocols

Employees, particularly those working in food service, must be properly trained in identifying and responding to oil fires. Most accidents can be prevented through hands-on training, which teaches effective procedures in emergency situations.

Traditional BHP Training Approach: Challenges and Limitations

Traditional safety training often relies on lectures or theoretical exercises. Multimedia presentations or video demonstrations may impart basic knowledge but don’t teach proper reactions under real stress and threat conditions.

In the case of oil fires, the “real-time” reaction is crucial. Mistakes that may seem trivial can lead to dramatic consequences, from burns to total destruction of the workplace.

VR Simulations in Safety Training

Increasingly, VR technology is being used as an effective tool for training in crisis situations. Virtual reality allows for the realistic simulation of fire scenarios, enabling employees to practice correct reactions in controlled environments.

How VR Simulations Work in Oil Fire Safety Training

The VR application developed by EHS VR enables:

• Realistic kitchen fire scenarios with burning oil, smoke, noise, and rising stress levels.

• Interactive decision-making – the user decides how to extinguish the fire and the system provides immediate feedback.

• Automated performance assessment – the system tracks reaction time, correctness of methods, and the precision of execution.

Benefits of Using VR in Oil Fire Training:

• Practical Experience – users have the opportunity to practice challenging, high-stress situations without the risk of injury.

• Recording Mistakes – every session records the mistakes made, enabling analysis and future learning.

• Increased Training Efficiency – VR enables rapid learning through experience, significantly more effective than traditional methods.

  
  

  
  

Conclusion

Oil fires in the kitchen pose a serious risk both at home and in the workplace. Proper education and training are key to preventing accidents, and modern technologies like VR can significantly enhance the effectiveness of these training programs.

Remember, every second counts. Properly reacting to an oil fire can save lives and property – that's why it’s worth investing in technologies that effectively teach what to do in critical situations.