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5 Tips to Avoid Summer Grill Burn Injuries

07/01/11

Summer is upon us and most Americans are going to begin pulling out their grills and getting ready for cookouts. Firefighters see this as their peak time for grill fires, which can lead to bigger problems. Fires that begin because of human error or mechanical failures with grills cause about 7,700 fires each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

As with most accidents, grill fires can be prevented by going through some precautions to ensure the safety of everyone:

  • Make sure your grill hasn’t been recalled on SaferProducts.gov.
  • Take time to inspect your grill before use. Gas grills deteriorate while being stored for months out of the year, and yet most owners don’t bother with any maintenance. Check the hoses, check for propane gas leaks, and make sure the grill is clean.
  • Set the grill up on level ground away from structures and be sure that it won’t tilt and turn over. Check that legs are stable.
  • Follow all safety guidelines outlined in the handbook and monitor the grill at all times that it is in operation.
  • Use common sense when grilling: cook outside only, keep a water hose close by, and do not leave grill unattended, especially when children are present.

Some grills are recalled because of faulty mechanics, and it is possible that you may own one without ever being notified that there is a problem. Make grilling fun, the way it is meant to be. Just take the little time necessary to guard against those summer fires and preventing any burn injuries in Oregon from occurring.