Barbecue safety
The summer is here and it is tempting to get outdoors and enjoy a barbecue. Make sure you are doing it safely by following these tips.
If you are having a picnic in a park or open space – don’t use a BBQ (including disposables), grass can be very dry and a fire can start and spread quickly. This puts people, homes, property and wildlife in danger. You can help to reduce the risk of a fire by not using any naked flames in the open.
How to stay BBQ safe
If you do BBQ at home – it is important to check you have taken the right safety precautions.
- Don’t use a BBQ on a balcony. Flames, sparks and hot embers can cause a fire and spread quickly to other parts of the building.
- Position your BBQ on level ground (not decking) and keep it well away from anything that may catch fire such as sheds, fences or trees.
- Never light a barbecue in an enclosed space and don’t use accelerants to get it going.
- Avoid distractions from people around you and never leave the BBQ unattended.
- Avoid drinking alcohol if you are in charge of the BBQ.
- Keep children, pets and garden games a safe distance from the BBQ. Have a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergency use.
- After cooking, let it cool and make sure it is properly out – smouldering ashes can give off dangerous carbon monoxide fumes and can be fatal.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue service have more information on their website, including using gas barbecues safely.
It is also really important to remember food safety when cooking on a barbecue. The Food Standards Agency has some great advice to help you make sure that BBQ isn’t memorable for all the wrong reasons!