BBQ Safety

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- Never leave a bbq unattended. Flare-ups are regular part of any barbecue. A flare-up occurs when fat from the meat hit the heat source. The more fatty the meat, such as sausages, the greater the chance of a flare-up. Meats such as chicken and fish are much less likely to cause a flare-up. A spray bottle of water could be placed near the barbecue to dampen any flare-up.

- Keep a close eye on children and pets when they come in close contact to the barbecue. Cheap charcoal barbecue are rarely very sturdy, and can be very flimsy. Therefore, do not be surprised at how easy it can be to tip over a barbecue if someone happens to fall close to it and nudge it.

- Once the charcoal is lit, do not attempt to move the barbecue. The charcoal should be ready once it's ashy grey on the outside and within the centre of the charcoal red hot. If you have placed a grill in a windy location it can be tempting to move it, make sure you use extreme causion if you intend to move it.

- Ensure that the charcoal and ashes are cold before attempting to clean the barbecue. It can take over three hours for a barbecue to cool down to any degree. And it's usually best to leave it a day before cleaning up after yourself. Even then the grill may be slightly warm.

- Store your bags of charcoal in a cool, dry place, away from flammable sources of heat.

- Never light a barbecue inside a house, or a confined space, why?, charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO), which is poisonous.

- Make sure the barbecue is stable by placing it on a flat and hard surface. The flat pack charcoal barbecue's, usually sold for under twenty pounds are rarely well balanced. The legs usually do not align and as times goes by the grill pan can become warped by the heat and become even less balanced.