Grill Safely this Barbeque Season – HH Fire Department
May 22, 2020
Hastings Highlands Fire Department
33011 Hwy 62 North, P.O. Box 130
Maynooth, ON K0L 2S0
Info Contact: Fire Prevention Officer Dwayne Meharrie Phone: 613-318-9046 Email: [email protected]
Press Release
May 21, 2020,
For Immediate Release
GRILL SAFELY THIS BARBEQUE SEASON
With the barbecue season under way across Ontario, The Hastings Highlands Fire Department recommends taking a few safety precautions before grilling that first meal this summer.
“Barbecuing is one of the great pleasures of summer and the fire service wants to make sure everyone enjoys the season safely,” said Fire Prevention Officer Dwayne Meharrie “Before you fire it up for the first time this year, check and clean your propane barbecue following the manufacturer’s instructions.”
To ensure your barbecue is ready for grilling season, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority recommends making this three-step safety check part of your spring-cleaning routine:
CLEAN: use a pipe cleaner or wire to make sure the burner ports are free of rust, dust, dirt, spider webs or other debris.
CHECK: examine the hose leading from the fuel supply to the burners. Replace if cracked or damaged.
TEST: find leaks by applying a 50/50 solution of water and dish soap to all fuel and hose connections. If bubbles appear, tighten the connections and/or replace the damaged parts and always re-test.
Remember that barbecues are for outdoor use only. If used in an enclosed space, carbon monoxide, an odourless, colourless, poisonous gas will gather and reach dangerous exposure levels, which can lead to serious health effects, or even death.
It is also strongly recommended that barbecues not be placed against buildings, deck railings, or placed under covered gazebos, decks, porches or outbuildings. The manufacturers instructions for distance from all combustibles is 3 metres or (ten feet) in all directions.
For more information and safety tips about propane barbecues, visit the Technical Standards and Safety Authority website: safetyinfo.ca.