For Your Health: Don't sacrifice summertime safety

It seems that not too long ago summertime used to be called summer vacation. Now it’s nothing like a vacation but rather the summer work season.

Between regular jobs, getting kids to sporting events and the endless list of things to do around the house, we wonder how will we ever get everything done. What shortcuts can be taken? How fast will this lawnmower go?

But one thing we never want to do is to take shortcuts with safety.

First let’s start with working in the yard safely. More than 100,000 people a year seek medical treatment for injuries caused by lawnmowers, weed eaters, trimmers, pesticides and fertilizers. To prevent injuries make sure you do the following.
 

• Never mow the yard in bare feet and avoid extremely loose clothing.
• Never start the mower indoors.
• Make sure the engine is off and cool before refueling and never smoke while refueling.
• Make sure the grass is dry when using electrical mowers or weed eaters.
• Never leave your mower running unattended.
• Always wear protective clothing and eye gear when handling pesticides and fertilizers.
• Unplug tools not being used.
• Make sure the tools are in the off position before plugging in.
• Know where above and underground power lines are located. Call 811 for help.
• Know the weather forecast. It’s always good to know if storms are possible and if the heat index is too high.
• Protect your skin and eyes from UV rays with sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.
• Drink plenty of water.

Now that the yard has been taken care of, at least for this week, we can relax a little and fire up the grill. The perfect reward for a hard day’s work, right? Unfortunately, for some this was not the ending that they were looking for. Each year there are about 6,000 house fires involving gas or charcoal grills, causing millions of dollars in damage. Here are some tips for safe grilling.

Don’t let a case of the hurries ruin your summer or worse. Always practice safety first and model safe behaviors and habits for your children and grandchildren. Have a safe summer.

Donny Gill is a health educator at the Hardin County Health Department. He can be reached at donny.gill@ky.gov.

• Liquid petroleum (LP) gas or propane, used in gas grills, is highly flammable. Each year, about 30 people are injured as a result of gas grill fires and explosions. Many of these fires and explosions occur when consumers first use a grill that has been left idle for a period of time or just after refilling and reattaching the grill’s gas container. To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, consumers should routinely perform the following safety checks.
• Check the tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage from insects or food grease. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear blockage and push it through to the main part of the burner.
• Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
• Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease. If you can’t move the hoses, install a heat shield to protect them.
• Replace scratched or nicked connectors, which eventually can leak gas.
• Check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer’s instructions, if you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill to the LP gas container. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas and don’t attempt to light the grill until the leak is fixed.
• Keep lit cigarettes, matches or open flames away from a leaking grill.
• Never use a grill indoors. Use the grill at least 10 feet away from any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch or under a surface that can catch fire.
• Do not attempt to repair the tank valve or the appliance yourself. See an LP gas dealer or a qualified appliance repair person.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany the grill.