When the days get warmer and the evenings longer, it won’t be long before you start revving up that ole barbeque again. Time to call the mates over, dust down the patio furniture and get that backyard into party mode!

Amidst the excitement of these outdoor gatherings, don’t forget! Safety First! We’re here to make sure you tick those boxes before the revelry begins.

Take a few precautions to ensure everyone stays safe and your property remains undamaged. Here are some safety tips to guarantee that your next Barbecue get-together goes without a single silly hitch and that everyone has the best time.

How to Choose the Right Barbecue Location

Where you situate your Barbeque could make a huge difference in staying safe whilst grilling

Here are some key points to remember

• Keep it Away from Flammable Materials – more importantly flammable chemicals and liquids. Aim for a 3-5 feet distance from your house, fence, trees, or anything else that could catch fire.
• Make sure your device is standing on Level Ground: Place your barbecue on a level, stable surface to prevent tipping and ensure even cooking.
• Take Wind Direction into Account. This means you should position the barbecue so that smoke generated during the cookout does not blow towards people or dining areas.
• Ensure your barbecue is Clear of Overhead Materials that could catch flames like low hanging branches, eaves, hanging baskets and any other hanging object that could ignite.

Barbeque Installation and Setup Safety Tips

There are some general tips that matter to all types of barbecues when installing them and setting up the device.

General Safety Tips for All Types of Barbeques

• When sourcing a Barbecue make sure your device has a CE European Safety Mark.
• Always follow Manufacturers’ Instructions when assembling your barbecue- that’s right! Read the Manual!
• Ensure all the Fittings are Tightened properly (but avoid over-tightening, which could damage the threads).
• Ventilation: Ensure your barbecue is always in a well-ventilated outdoor area to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide.
• If using a disposable barbecue – place it on a level non-flammable surface. Never Place it on plastic garden furniture, glass, grass or wooden decking.
• Never Grill Indoors or on your balcony. Grills are designed for outdoor use, which means the fumes from any charcoal or propane fired grill can be dangerous in enclosed spaces.

Gas Grills:

• Do an initial Leak Check with soapy water on all gas connections. Look for bubbles, which indicate a leak that needs to be addressed by a professional. Do this before using it for the first time, and periodically thereafter.
• Regulator Placement: Ensure the regulator, which controls gas flow, is properly attached to the propane tank and the grill. Some grills have a designated spot for the regulator, so consult the manual.
• When it comes to Gas Cylinders: Ensure the gas cylinder is correctly installed and securely fastened. Always keep them upright if moving them from one location to the next and secure your cylinders to prevent rolling or tipping. Store spare gas cylinders outside, away from direct sunlight and frost.

Charcoal Grills:

• Assemble with Stability in Mind: When assembling a charcoal grill, you will need to double-check all the nuts, bolts, and screws on your grill are tightened securely to ensure stability while grilling. If anything tips over the spillage could seriously maim and burn anyone nearby.
• Charcoal Chimney Placement: If you use a charcoal chimney to light coals, never place it directly on the grass or a flammable surface. Use a metal tray or heat-resistant pad underneath.
• Lighting the Charcoal. For better safety use a Chimney Starter as it is more reliable than lighter fluid. If using Lighter fluid – apply it to the charcoal before lighting it and don’t overdo it. Never add lighter fluid or paraffin to already lit or warm coals as it can flare up dangerously. You can also use natural fire starters like newspaper under a chimney starter for a safer and environmentally friendly option.
• When the cooking is done:
• • Let the Coals Completely Cool before disposing of them. This could take up to 48 hours. If you try to speed things up by splashing water, it may cause steam and ash to scatter.
  • Use a Metal Container when disposing of cold ashes – cover it with a tight-fitting lid to prevent any potential fire risk.
  • Never put the hot coals directly into a bin filled with other refuse in it- the other contents may be highly flammable.

Tips for Operating Your Barbecue Safely

There are some basic common-sense things worth remembering once you start using your barbeque and light that grill:

• Never leave a lit barbecue unattended. Always have an adult nearby to monitor the barbecue when in use to ensure Children and Pets safety. Why not create a safe zone or barrier to block the kids – make sure their play area is a good way away especially if it’s a party.
• If you’re the head chef attending the barbecue, go easy on the Alcohol as you’ll want your wits about you. Don’t drink alcohol over the barbeque anyway because it is highly flammable, and a small spill could lead to a flare up.
• Here’s a commonsense note. Once you start lighting the hot grill and cooking – Do Not Move it. A single slip and tip would be disastrous and may even injure someone nearby. If moving your barbecue after the event – wait until it is completely cooled down.

Fire Safety

• Always have the right fire extinguishers and fire blankets Make sure the rest of your family are also drilled into how to locate these items and know how to use them. Find a selection of suitable fire extinguishers and blankets for the home in our SafetyWorx Catalogue.
• Control Flare-Ups by keeping a spray bottle of water handy for taming any flare-ups. Lightly spritz the flames if they get too high. To be extra safe – have a hose, bucket of water or sand nearby if things get out of hand.

Maintain Store and Restore your Barbeque with These Tips

There are even more common-sense tasks to keep doing when it comes to putting away or taking your barbeque out of storage.

• Prevent any flare ups and uncontrollable fires with Regular Cleaning of your appliance by removing ash, unburnt coal, and most importantly any built up fat and grease. Be sure to clean grates and grills with the right solutions. A clean grill will lead to even cooking when you fire it up again.
• Handy Custom Products will ensure a better clean:
  • We’ve got some great UltraGrime Barbecue Cloth Wipes XXL in a pack of 30, if you’re looking for a custom product for fast cleaning. Gentle on skin but relentless on grease, these wipes are perfect for cleaning utensils, grills, and all your outdoor gear. It features a rough-textured side for tackling stubborn, burnt-on dirt, to guarantee a thorough clean every time.
  • The BartolineBBQ Grill Cleaner is specially formulated to remove stubborn dirt, grease and food particles from barbecue grills and other outdoor cooking surfaces. It contains powerful active ingredients that dissolve grease, fat and burnt-on food deposits quickly and effectively and comes in an easy-to-use trigger spray bottle.
• Inspect for Damage and Wear or tear every time you take it out of storage: particularly the grates and any air vents.

Checkout our handy Blog to help you prep and maintain your barbeque properly year to year :  Is Your Barbeque Summer-Ready? Key Steps to Prepare …

You’re now ready to enjoy that next BBQ

As you can see a lot of the best tips come with a huge dollop of common sense and a side order of responsibility.

One last thing to bear in mind! If anything does go wrong, you would need home insurance to see it through. So, there is no harm in getting that sorted if you’re going to have a bunch of people over.