Spring is finally here! All across the country, grilling enthusiasts are firing up the charcoal and having backyard parties for friends and neighbors. Knowing how to keep your guests and family members safe during parties and get togethers can help limit your liability and protect you from lawsuits. The following tips will help you have fun during backyard grilling events without injuries and accidents.
Practice Fire Lighting Safety
Chemicals like lighter fluid can be dangerous for curious children and pets, or anyone who accidentally spills the fluid while near the fire. Using a charcoal chimney instead of lighter fluid will help protect your guests. Charcoal chimneys allow grillers to light their fires with wadded up newspaper alone. If you must use lighter fluid to light your charcoal grill, be sure to use products intended to be used as charcoal starter fluid. Never use gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquids that are not intended for the purpose of lighting a grill.
Stay Safe While Grilling
Failure to use best practices while grilling can cause fires and other accidents. Here are a few ways that you can prevent problems while grilling:
- Pick a good location for the grill. Keep the grill on a solid surface away from walkways. Ideally, put your grill on a concrete patio away from doorways and walking paths. Avoid placing the grill on muddy or grassy surfaces and away from organic debris like leaves and twigs. Keep the grill away from overhanging trees and playground equipment.
- Always leave an adult in attendance of the grill. Never leave the grill burning alone without someone nearby to monitor it.
- Never grill in a sheltered area. If it begins to rain outside, never put your grill inside the doorway of a shed or garage.
- Be aware of gas leaks. If you're using a gas grill, turn off the burners right away if you smell gas. If the gas smell continues after the burners have been shut off, stay away from the grill and call the fire department.
- Keep children far away from the grill. If children are present, instruct them to keep games away from the grill. On the other side of the lawn, set up a "play zone" with toys and games where children can run around without needing to worry about fire safety.
Following these tips will help you keep guests safe this spring and summer, however, accidents can still happen. If someone is injured in an accident on your property during one of your backyard barbecues, you may need help from a lawyer with personal injury experience. If this happens, contact a personal injury lawyer. He or she can help you defend your case. Click here for more info about personal injury law.
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