National Grilling Month: Avoiding Burn Injuries and Cooking Accidents
July is National Grilling Month! For many people, the barbecue grill is an essential part of the summer. With hot weather and plentiful sunlight from the Fourth of July through Labor Day, grills tend to get the most use in the summertime. That also means that there are more grill-related accidents in the summer. To help you and your family stay safe around the barbecue grill, the personal injury lawyers at Patterson Legal Group offer the following safety tips to avoid barbecue grill accidents.
Safety Tips For National Grilling Month
Many people underestimate how dangerous barbecue grills can be. Whether they use charcoal, propane, or wood pellets, outdoor grills are unique appliances that present unique dangers. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), every year barbecue grill accidents are responsible for:
- 10,600 home fires
- 19,700 emergency room visits
- 9,500 thermal burn injuries
The good news is that there are many simple things you can do that will greatly increase your grill safety. Here are some of the best safety tips that our Kansas burn injury lawyers have learned from our clients.
Grill Safety Starts With Grill Placement
Barbecue grills should be placed at least 10 feet away from your house and other structures. If your grill is too close to your home then your chances of a house fire increase in the event of a cooking accident.
Additionally, it’s important to place the grill away from doors and windows. Smoke inhalation can lead to choking and lung damage. If too much smoke is inhaled then oxygen can get cut off from the brain, which can lead to brain damage.
Adult Supervision Is Essential
Always have at least one sober adult keeping a close eye on the grill. Excess fat and grease can cause a fire to burn uncontrollably in just a few seconds. Having an adult that can quickly handle the flames can make the difference between keeping your home safe and thousands of dollars of property damage.
While many children have seen barbecue grills, they might not be as familiar with electric smokers and wood pellet grills. They may see these potentially dangerous appliances as something cool that they want to play with. Having a sober adult watching over grills and smokers can help your guests avoid burn injuries and electrocution injuries, as well as protect you from an unsafe property lawsuit.
Have the Right Tools For Fire Starting
The start of a fire is often the most dangerous, since it can blaze out of control. To help you start your barbecue safely, you should consider tools like a charcoal chimney or an electric starter. Both devices will help you start a strong fire in a controlled fashion.
In addition to helping reduce your risk of burn injuries or a house fire, chimneys and electric starters also help you organize charcoal more evenly. This leads to a more consistent fire that will help you grill optimally.
Dress For Safety
Many people don’t consider their outfit when it comes to barbecue grill safety. This can be an enormous mistake. Wearing a loose blouse or shirt that dangles over the grill can cause you to get burned. Be sure to wear something that’s close-fitting and doesn’t have any accessories that could catch fire.
Additionally, use aprons and grilling gloves, especially if you’re cranking the heat about 450F. These accessories will help you avoid burns and protect you from grease splashes.
Celebrate National Grilling Month Safely
The team at Patterson Legal Group hopes that you follow the barbecue safety tips above. Consider using National Grilling Month as a way to teach your friends and family about grill safety. The more you share this knowledge, the safer everyone will be this summer.
Unfortunately, there are times when a barbecue grill accident will happen no matter how safe you’re being. If you were hurt in a barbecue accident and believe that your injuries were caused by the negligence or recklessness of another party then contact our personal injury lawyers immediately. You can reach us by phone at 888-687-2400 or connect with us online through LiveChat.
Patterson Legal Group has more than 75 years of combined experience successfully serving injury victims in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. We have a proven track record of winning high settlements for our clients. Our team also takes tremendous pride in treating every client with the compassion and respect that they deserve.
Our staff wants you to have complete confidence that your legal matters are being handled in the best way possible so that you can focus on rest and recovery. Contact us today and you’ll learn why Patterson Legal Group has become one of the most trusted personal injury law firms in the Midwest.