Braai safety measures over the festive season

The festive season is here, with outdoor activities such as children playing in the pool or a nice afternoon braai. However, concerning the latter activity, emergency services urge residents to be safe when using products to start a braai fire.

As many agents and products for starting braai fires are sold, many of them are unfamiliar or have not passed a quality assurance test at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Many illegal gel substances are sold at a cheaper price from local markets or on the street.

The danger of these cheap imitation products is that they probably use illegal substances that have a very high and dangerous flashpoint when you ignite them. This may cause burn wounds due to people using these agents without knowing the dangers.

Here are a few precaution tips:

1- Make sure you are familiar with the product and the safety measures before you ignite a fire.

2- Always store flammable agents in a dry, well-ventilated area.

3- Check for expiry dates and the ingredients used to manufacture these products.

4- Try not to inhale the fumes that are released when these products are opened.

5- Use a lighter with a long handle to ignite the product to minimise burn wounds to your hands.

6- Never allow your children to ignite braai fires. Keep them away from all fires.

7- When you use a product that has a very strong smell, make sure the product is approved and keep in mind that ignition might be very quick and dangerous due to the amount of burning fluid.

DID YOU KNOW?

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