How to Grill Safely This Summer

“On average close to 20,000 patients nationwide visit emergency rooms each year because of injuries involving grills,” says Kevin Omilusik, MD, medical director of the Munson Healthcare Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Emergency Department in Michigan, on the official Munson Healthcare website. “Nearly half (48%) of these injuries are thermal burns from both fire and contact with hot objects.”

As more people equate summer fun with outdoor grilling, it’s important to take safety precautions so that the only things getting barbecued in the backyard are burgers, hot dogs, and veggies. Before lighting a charcoal or gas grill, protect you and your guests from serious injury by planning ahead.

General Grilling Safety Precautions

No matter what your grill preference is, the most important tip to remember is that grills are designed for outdoor use only. Never barbecue inside your house or in a tent, garage, or any enclosed area because carbon monoxide may become trapped and kill you.

Set up your grill outside, away from tree branches, buildings, and other combustibles. Make sure your stabilized grill is in a well-ventilated space and preferably a low-traffic area so that guests are less likely to bump into the grill and knock it over or injure themselves.

Once the grill is lit, don’t leave it unattended. Also, never try to move a hot grill — one stumble or drop could prove disastrous.

Charcoal Grill Safety Suggestions

Here are additional tips for grilling safely with charcoal:

• The Health, Patio, & Barbecue Association (HPBA) recommends wearing clothing that doesn’t have dangling shirttails, loose frills, or apron strings that could catch on fire.
• Use barbecue utensils such as forks and tongs with long handles that are clean and in good condition to avoid getting burned by splattering juices.
• Don’t use gasoline to start a charcoal fire because gasoline will cause an explosion. Only use designated charcoal lighter fluid and use enough at the beginning to get the fire started. A common mistake is to squirt more fluid on coals that are already hot, which can cause an unexpected burst of flame.
• After using the charcoal lighter fluid, cap it and store it away from the lit grill.
• Charcoal produces carbon monoxide until the coals are completely extinguished. For this reason, do not store a grill with freshly used coals indoors.

Gas Grill Safety Suggestions

Here are additional tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and National Fire Protection Association for grilling safely with gas or propane:

• Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
• Check the tubes that lead into the burners for blockages such as bugs, leaves, or food grease and clean as needed.
• Never start a gas grill with the cover closed.
• If the burner doesn’t light for some reason, turn off the gas and try again in about five minutes.
• Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease.
• Always keep propane gas containers upright.
• Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors.
• Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill.
• Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape.

What To Do After a Burn

Even if you follow all of the grilling safety tips above, accidents still sometimes happen and people get injured. Whether you can treat the burn at home or a medical facility depends on the severity of the burn.

According to Dr. Omilusik of Munson Healthcare, a first-degree burn only involves the top layer of skin. A sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn because the skin remains intact, and there is no blistering. First-degree burns can be treated at home with over-the-counter pain medications and ointments, especially those with aloe vera.

Second-degree burns are more serious and extend to the dermal layer below the skin’s surface. Blisters are a good indicator of a second-degree burn. If a second-degree burn is limited to a small area, cool the skin with water and apply an antibiotic ointment and loose gauze. Do not try to pop any blisters.

Third-degree burns extend into muscle tissue, while fourth-degree burns extend all the way to the bone. These burns are usually accompanied by painful second-degree burns. Anything more severe than a second-degree burn needs treatment at a designated burn center, emergency room, or urgent care center.

By following all of the safety tips for your type of barbecue, hopefully, every summer backyard celebration this year will be filled with delicious grilled food, great memories, and zero-grilled guests.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.