Ask A Butcher

"The Barbecue Butcher"

2008-06-09 - By Steve Graves, Ask-A-Butcher.com

Attention, Backyard Barbecue Chefs: Put Safety First!*

Summer time is chillin' time, and for many Americans that means grillin' time. However, when people put on their "World's Best Cook" aprons, they may forget to put on their thinking caps. The results can be painful. Outdoor grilling causes more than 600 accidental fires and explosions and costs consumers $5 million in property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

"A few simple precautions around the barbecue grill will protect not only the hamburgers and hot dogs, but the chef too," says John Drengenberg, manager of Consumer Affairs for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL). "Everyone loves backyard barbecuing, so we light up grills about 3 billion times a year. Unfortunately, though, our good times can be spoiled if we are not careful."

Put safety first when entertaining outdoors!

Drengenberg offers his top five tips for summer safety when good weather permits you to move the kitchen outdoors:

• Use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building;
• Never leave the grill unattended, especially when young children or pets are nearby;
• Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire;
• Never attempt to restart a flame by adding additional lighting fluid to an already-lit grill, as this can cause a flare-up;
• Dispose of charcoal away from kids and pets, and cool it down with a hose. Coals get HOT-up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit! When grilling use insulated, flame-retardant mitts or long-handled barbecue tongs and utensils.

Gas grill safety tips

As with charcoal grills, Drengenberg stresses that gas grill users should always follow the manufacturer's instructions that accompany the product. If the manual is misplaced, manufacturers will usually replace it at no charge.

Other tips include:

• Check the grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure there are no kinks in the hose or tubing;
• Check the tubes leading into the burner for any blockages from insects, spiders, or grease. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear any obstruction and pass it through to the main part of the burners;
• Check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer's instructions, if you smell gas, particularly when you reconnect the grill to the propane tank. Never use a match to check for leaks; instead, immediately turn off the gas, and don't attempt to light the grill again until the leak is fixed.

Finally, Drengenberg advises consumers to keep a fire extinguisher handy for the backyard barbecue, exactly as they do for the kitchen stove. Most importantly, everyone should know how to use it, based on the PASS method: Pull pin; Aim at base of fire; Squeeze handle; and Sweep from side to side.

* A big Thank You to Underwriter Laboratories for the above.

Charcoal Grill Safety Tips**

Although a charcoal grill may not be as potentially explosive as a gas grill, charcoal does produce carbon monoxide (CO) when burned. For this reason never bring your charcoal grill or hibachi into an enclosed area such as your home, vehicle, tents or campers, even with ventilation. Also beware of storing a charcoal grill indoors until the charcoal is completely extinguished, as it will continue to produce CO fumes until then.

You can see the above warnings on the label of your bag of charcoal. Even so, each year about 30 people die and 100 are injured as a result of carbon monoxide fumes generated by burning charcoal.

To make sure your next barbecue doesn't go up in flames, the Home Safety Council recommends the following safety tips:

• Designate the grilling area a "No Play Zone" keeping kids and pets well away until grill equipment is completely cool.
• Before using, position your grill at least 3 feet away from other objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes.
• Charcoal should be left in the grill until cold to the touch or thoroughly soaked in water before disposal.
• Only use starter fluid made for barbecue grills when starting a fire in a charcoal grill.
• Do not wear loose clothing while cooking.
• Never bring a barbecue grill indoors, or into any unventilated space. This is both a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.

** From the Home Safety Council

And last, but not least, a Public Service Announcement being sent out via local Law Enforcement Agencies.

Although we all know that any self respecting southerner uses charcoal and/or hickory – there are times when we must stoop to propane…

Meth cooks are getting the propane tanks from the exchanges at Wal-Mart, Kroger, gas stations, etc. and emptying them of the propane. They are filling them with anhydrous ammonia (which is used in their meth recipe). After they are finished with them, they return them to the store.

They are then refilled with propane and sent back for you and me to buy.

Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive and weakens the structure of the tank. It can be extremely dangerous when mixed with propane and hooked up to our grills, etc.

You should inspect the propane tank for any blue or greenish residue around the valve areas. If it is present, refuse to purchase that one." If you suspect you already have one of these tanks, don't touch it. Notify the fire dept, DEA, or HazMat Emergency Response Unit immediately for disposition.

Check out the following website for more details. They also have pictures showing what contaminated tank valve might look like.

Contaminated Propane Tank