Chill at the grill: long weekend barbecue safety tips

Media release
WA’s gas safety regulator is sharing key advice on using gas barbecues safely.
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Chill at the grill: long weekend barbecue safety tips

  • Soapy water test prior to barbecue use can help detect gas leaks
  • Two types of connections now available for LPG cylinders and appliances
  • Use gas barbecues in well-ventilated outdoor areas due to carbon monoxide risks

Ahead of the summer’s last long weekend, WA’s gas safety regulator is sharing key advice on using gas barbecues safely.

In the past two years, Building and Energy has investigated 16 gas safety incidents involving injuries and close calls to barbecue users, including serious burns to three people. Emergency services also attend dozens of barbecue accidents each year.

A Bicton homeowner was rushed to hospital in December 2023 after leaking gas ignited when an adaptor prevented the barbecue’s safety valve from operating. The type of adaptor in this incident is banned in WA.

A Bibra Lake man sustained serious arm burns in November 2024 after connecting a newly purchased barbecue to an incompatible LPG cylinder, causing a gas leak and fire.

Other incidents include an explosion in Forrestfield in December 2023 after a resident disconnected a barbecue from the LPG cylinder while its valve was still open and supplying gas.

On Boxing Day in 2020, a Tapping father was lucky to escape with minor injuries after an LPG cylinder connected to a barbecue exploded, launching metal parts up to 40m away. Building and Energy’s investigation found a missing rubber seal on the appliance connector caused gas to leak from the cylinder.

Building and Energy’s advice for safe grilling with gas includes:

  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, read the barbecue’s safety warnings and look for an approval badge to verify it is authorised for sale in Australia.
  • Check for fire bans or other restrictions on barbecue use.
  • Check the LPG cylinder for damage and ensure its most recent test date is within the past 10 years. If it has exceeded 10 years, the cylinder should be replaced.
  • Be aware that two types of LPG cylinder and appliance connections are now available. The older Type 21 (POL), which only has an inside thread on the valve, is being phased out in favour of a safer design called LCC27, identified by both an inside and outside thread.
  • Older Type 21 (POL) barbecues can be used with either cylinder type, but newly purchased barbecues must only be connected to an LCC27 gas cylinder. Attempting to connect an LCC27 appliance to a Type 21 (POL) cylinder can cause gas to leak. Building and Energy has banned the use of adaptors for safety reasons.
  • Check the gas hose for cracks, kinks or flaws that could result in a gas leak.
  • After opening the cylinder to release gas, but before igniting the barbecue, apply soapy water to the LPG cylinder, hose and appliance connections. Bubbles or a gas smell are signs of a gas leak.
  • Barbecues and other outdoor gas appliances must only be used in a well-ventilated area outdoors to avoid potentially lethal exposure to carbon monoxide.
  • Clean the barbecue regularly to reduce fire risks from built-up grease and oil.

“Barbecues and other gas equipment are safe to use if they are in good condition and operated correctly,” Building and Energy Executive Director Peter Stewart said.

“If there are any concerns with your barbecue or cylinder, turn off the gas immediately and arrange for a licensed gas fitter to service the equipment.”

Visit Building and Energy’s gas barbecue safety webpage (via demirs.wa.gov.au) for more information and a handy video.

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Media contact: BEmedia@demirs.wa.gov.au

A damaged barbecue in an al fresco area
A damaged barbecue in an al fresco area
Damaged LPG cylinders
Damaged LPG cylinders

 

 

A damaged barbecue following a gas incident in Beckenham
A damaged barbecue following a gas incident in Beckenham
A damaged barbecue in pieces on decking
A damaged barbecue in pieces on decking
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