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Barbeque Grill Safety Tips
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Gas Grill Safety Tips
Liquid petroleum (LP) gas or propane, used in gas grills, is highly
flammable. Each year about 30 people are injured as a result of gas
grill fires and explosions. Many of these fires and explosions occur
when consumers first use a grill that has been left idle for a
period of time or just after refilling and reattaching the grill's
gas container. To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, consumers
should routinely perform the following safety checks: |
*
Check the tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage from
insects, spiders, or food grease. Use a pipe
cleaner or wire to clear blockage and push it through to the main
part of the burner.
* Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks.
Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose
or tubing.
* Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and
dripping hot grease. If you can't move the hoses,
install a heat shield to protect them.
* Replace scratched or nicked connectors, which can eventually leak
gas.
* Check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer's instructions, if
you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill
to the LP gas container. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off
the gas and don't attempt to light the grill
until the leak is fixed.
* Keep lighted cigarettes, matches, or open flames away from a
leaking grill.
* Never use a grill indoors. Use the grill at least 10 feet away
from your house or any building. Do not use the
grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under a surface that can
catch fire.
* Do not attempt to repair the tank valve or the appliance yourself.
See an LP gas dealer or a qualified
appliance repair person.
* Always follow the manufacturer's instructions that accompany the
grill.
Consumers should use caution when storing LP gas containers. Always
keep containers upright. Never store a spare gas container under or
near the grill or indoors. Never store or use flammable liquids,
like gasoline, near the grill.
To avoid accidents while transporting LP gas containers, consumers
should transport the container in a secure, upright position. Never
keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause
the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and
allow gas to escape.
Consumers should use extreme caution and always follow
manufacturer's instructions when connecting or disconnecting LP gas
containers.
Grills manufactured after October 1, 1995, are required to have
three additional safety features to eliminate leak hazards: a device
to limit the flow of gas in the event of hose rupture; a mechanism
to shut-off the grill; and a feature to prevent the flow of gas if
the connection between the tank and the grill is not leak proof.
Consumers should consider purchasing grills that have these safety
features. |
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Charcoal
Grill Safety Tips
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Charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a
colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in
closed environments. Each year about 30 people die and 100 are
injured as a result of CO fumes from charcoal grills and hibachis
used inside
To reduce these CO poisonings, CPSC is offering the following safety
tips:
* Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or campers.
Charcoal should never be used indoors,
even if ventilation is provided.
* Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely
extinguished, do not store the grill
indoors with freshly used coals.
In April 1996, CPSC voted to revise the label on charcoal packaging
to more explicitly warn consumers of the deadly CO gas that is
released when charcoal is burned in a closed environment. The new
label reads, "WARNING...CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD...Burning charcoal
inside can kill you. It gives off carbon monoxide, which has no
odor. NEVER burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles or tents." The new
label also conveys the written warning visually with drawings of
grills inside a home, tent, and vehicle. The drawings are enclosed
in a circle with an "X" through it. While the new label requirement
will not become mandatory until the end of the year, many charcoal
manufacturers have already started using the new labels on charcoal
packaging.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released these
safety tips for consumers to follow when using gas or charcoal
grills. Read more at
http://www.cpsc.gov/
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