Grilling Season Safety Tips

While grilling can be a year-round activity, grill usage – as well as grilling accidents and fires – spike in the summer months, especially around the summer holidays, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4^th of July and Labor Day.

We would like to go over some of the dangers of grilling, causes of grill fires and safety tips while using a grill.

Dangers of Grilling

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 19,700 patients visited the emergency room with injuries involving grills between 2014 and 2018. Thermal burns are the most common injury while working with a grill.

Common Cause of Grill Fires

Recent statistics show there are nearly 60 million gas grills in the United States; but not everyone knows how to safely operate and maintain grills, which can lead to fires. The most common causes of grill fires are failure to clean the grill (22%); the grill being too close to combustibles (17%); leaving the equipment unattended (17%); and a leak or break in the gas line (9%).

Tips To Stay Safe While Using a Grill

• Keep propane and charcoal grills outdoors. If used indoors or in any enclosed space such as a porch or tent, they pose a fire hazard and a risk of exposing people to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Grills should be places a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and places where people are occupying. Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. Your gill should always be on level ground.
• Keep matches, lighters and starter fluid in a locked drawer or cabinet and out of reach of children.
• Children and pets must stay away from the grill area. You should declare a three-foot “kid-free zone” around the grill.
• Use long barbeque mitts and long-handled grilling tools to protect the chef from heat and flames when cooking.
• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below the grill so it cannot ignite by the hot grill.

Whether it is hot dogs or burgers, grilling is a favorite activity but must be done with caution and care. Be sure to contact R.C. Keller & Company or your independent insurance agent to be sure you have the right home and umbrella insurance coverage should an unexpected grilling accident occurs.

Sources:
National Fire Protection Association grill fact sheet and grill safety sheet