Barbecuing Safety Tips

• Designate the barbecue area a ‘no play zone’, keeping children and pets away until the grill and barbecue tools are completely cool.
  
  
• Before using, position the barbecue at least 1 metre away from other objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes.
  
  
• Check the cylinder to ensure the hose is tightly fitted to the outlet.
  
  
• Never use a match or naked flame to check for leaks!
  
  
• If a leak is detected, automatically turn off the supply of gas from the cylinder.
  
  
• Never bring a barbecue indoors or into an unventilated place. This is a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
  
  
• Always have an outdoor fire extinguisher close and handy.

The barbecue is often treated like part of the outdoor furniture so it’s easy to forget that it needs checking to ensure that it is safe, particularly if it has been standing unused through the winter months.

The three things to remember when ensuring the barbecue is safe to use:

1. Position: Ensure the barbecue is at least one metre away from objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes.
   
   
2. Cylinders and hoses: Barbecues are often exposed to harsh weather conditions when out of use which means hoses can split and connections can be damaged. Check the hose to make sure it has not perished and make sure the gas connections are tight and leak free before using the barbecue, especially if the barbecue has been left idle for some time.
   
   
3. Gas: Check the gas cylinder. A gas cylinder must not be refilled if it has not been tested for over 10 years or if the cylinder has been damaged. Never use a barbecue on the wrong gas and don’t use Autogas, as it differs from LP and natural gas. It is not safe (or legal) to fill a barbecue cylinder at an Autogas dispenser.

An additional way to ensure barbecue safety is by fitting a Black and Stone Gas Safety Gauge – a simple and inexpensive gadget that screws directly into the gas cylinder. It operates as an all-in-one safety device that detects leaks and automatically shuts off the gas should a major leak occur. “The Gas Safety Gauge is a smart way to guarantee barbecue safety. It works on three levels: it can be used to detect minor leaks; it will automatically shut off if a major leak occurs; and it indicates the gas contents in the cylinder so you’ll never be caught without gas again.