A couple weeks ago, we brought you some tips designed to foster safety when grilling out this spring, but given the prevalence of fires and injuries that result annually when grill fires erupts, there are always going to be additional precautions that one might take. Thus, you might want to keep tips from the United States Fire Administration at the forefront of your thoughts at all times when grilling.
After you set up your grill away from flammable substances and structures and have made sure that kids won’t get too close, make sure your grill is adequately cleaned. If fat or grease has built up in the grill trays, clean it out so that it can’t start on fire. When you do start grilling, make sure every tool you use is sufficiently long so as to protect you from the risks that crop up when you get too close to the flames.
When you use a propane cylinder, you always have to be cognizant of the potential for a leak. Don’t hesitate to call the fire department if you smell gas. If your propane cylinder was built before April 2002, you also need to check to see if it has a triangle shaped hand wheel that signals an overfill protection device. These devices, which limit propane flow prior to capacity being hit, were required after that aforementioned date.
Finally, your propane grill equipment should have been tested by an independent laboratory, as identified by a mark featured on your unit.