Massachusetts Injury Lawyer Blog

When the warm weather returns, many people look forward to grilling and choose propane gas grills. While these grills offer many advantages, propane is a highly combustible hydrocarbon gas which is compressed into a liquid form and placed inside a tank. It can explode in certain conditions, such as in a fire or with a tank leak.

Some 6,500 barbecue grill fires injure Americans each year, accounting for a property loss of over $27 million, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The majority of these grill fires result from accidents and explosions related to malfunctioning gas grills.

Now as you set your grill up for the summer is the best time to learn how to properly clean and handle your propane gas tank and grill. The Boston personal injury lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck offer these tips to help you grill safely:

• Propane is an odorless gas with an odorant called ethanethiol added to help detect leaks. If you are near a propane tank and smell this gas, leave immediately and call your town's fire department.
• Read the manufacturer's instructions for your grill and if you need, contact customer support.
• Transport your propane tank to the refill station or hardware store in a standing position. Use a box or carrying case.
• Drive directly to and from the hardware store or refill facility. Do not make other stops.
• Store the propane gas tank outside your home with the grill and do not take it inside for any reason. This includes not taking it inside your garage or porch or leaving it on a deck attached to your home.
• Operate your propane gas grill and tank as far away from your home as possible.
• Most grills are now made with a safety device that prevents gas flow when the tank is disconnected. But always make sure your propane tank valve is closed when you disconnect to prevent fires and explosions.
• If you are having trouble heating your grill, do not keep raising the temperature. Check your manufacturer's manual for instructions or call the company's customer service phone number.
• Have propane gas equipment inspected periodically by a professional for possible leaks or malfunctioning parts. This will help prevent an explosion.
• Check your manufacturer's manual for cleaning instructions. Turn the grill off and wait until it is cool. Lift the cover, inspect cooking surfaces and remove the cooking grids and spray with mild oven cleaner.

Related:
Propane Safety, National Fire Protection Association

What To Do After An Explosion

Continue reading "Explosion Prevention for the BBQ and Grilling Season" »

Now that Tropical Storm Irene has passed, residents and businesses throughout Massachusetts have started the extensive clean-up. Many remain without power.

An estimated 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast lost power, including 700,000 in Massachusetts, officials reported. Utility and state officials estimate it may take several days to restore power in some communities.

The storm caused 26 deaths across the country. In Massachusetts, a public works employee on his way to join recovery efforts was electrocuted Monday by a downed power line outside his Southbridge home.

From Storrow Drive in Boston to Interstate 91 in western Massachusetts, many roads were shut down by flooding. Residents in several communities were evacuated from their homes, including in several western Massachusetts towns, Southboro and New Bedford,

Whether you are cleaning up your yard, driving or waiting for power to be restored, it is essential to think safety for you, your family and property. Here are safety tips from the Boston personal injury lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck:

• Be prepared for intersections without working traffic lights or police officers to direct cars.


• When driving, travel farther behind the vehicle in front of you than normal. Road detours and single-lane roads may not be visible until just before you reach them.


• Give even more room when traveling behind tractor trailers carrying heavy loads of branches and storm debris.


• If your home is still without power, make sure you have enough flashlights and plenty of extra batteries. Avoid using candles.


• Natural gas or propane valves that have been under water should be replaced. Smell and listen for leaky gas connections that may trigger an explosion.


• If you believe there has been a gas leak, there is risk for a home explosion. Immediately leave the house, leave the doors open and contact a gas system professional before you return.


• Take measures to avoid food poisoning. Throw away any refrigerated foods that are held at above 40 degrees for more than two hours. Food can generally keep for up to 4 hours in a refrigerator that is not opened and between 24 to 48 hours in a freezer.


• Watch news reports to see if your local health department has cleared tap water for safe consumption. If you are without power and cannot watch television or access the Internet, call your town or city hall to ask.


• Watch out for and stay away from downed power lines.


• Do not enter and avoid walking near damaged buildings.


• Be careful walking under trees as there may be loose branches.

Continue reading "Massachusetts Safety Tips After Tropical Storm Irene" »

As families across the country celebrate Independence Day this weekend, many will enjoy tasty barbeques.

Family gatherings should be fun, but grilling can be dangerous without proper safety precautions. Each year, an estimated 3,800 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency rooms for burns, carbon monoxide poisoning and other injuries related to grilling, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Grill safely with our tips for your holiday cookout:

• At the start of each season, inspect a gas grill's hoses for signs of cracking, holes and evidence of animal bites or insects. Replace damaged parts.


• Make sure the grill is clean before using. Regularly clean it throughout the season as described in the owner's manual.


• Always use grills outside.


• Never leave a grill unattended.


• Keep children away from the grill area. The outside surface of a grill can burn a children's hands.


• If a grease fire occurs, turn off the gas grill and use baking soda or a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.


• Never store or use flammable liquids such as gasoline near a grill.


• Check the CPSC website to make sure you are not using a recalled grill.

• There are several ways to start a charcoal grill, including starter fluid, charcoal chimney starters and electric charcoal starters. Choose one method and become knowledgeable about it before starting your grill.


• If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.


• Store charcoal starter fluid out of reach of children and away from heat sources.


• When you are finished grilling, let the charcoals completely cool before disposing them in a metal container.

• Transport your propane tank to the refill station or hardware store in a standing position. Use a box or order a special carrying case. Do not let passengers hold the tank. Do not do other errands when you are getting your propane tank filled.


• Never take a propane gas tank inside the refill facility or your home because of the risk for a gas explosion.


• Be sure the propane tank valve is closed when you disconnect it from the grill. Newer propane tanks have a safety device that will prevent gas flow from the tank when it is disconnected. But it is still a good idea to make sure the valve is closed.


• When you connect your propane tank to your grill, if you see fog or smell gas, it is a sign of a leak. This means there is a risk for a gas explosion. Stop what you are doing, move your family away from the property and contact your local fire department.


• Another way to test for a propane tank leak before each season is to open the gas supply valve fully. Apply a soapy solution with a brush at the connection point. If bubbles appear, there is a leak. Try tightening the tank's connection to see if the leak stops or contact a qualified gas professional.

Continue reading "Grill Safely This Independence Day" »

Information uncovered by news teams investigating the fatal gas explosion in Somerset, Massachusetts on February 19, 2009, indicates that damage to a gas main, perhaps from construction activity, may have been a cause of the terrible accident.

Residents in the vicinity of the explosion had reported the smell of gas, and the New England Gas Company was in the area investigating, knocking on doors in the neighborhood. However, within twenty minutes of the arrival of gas company crews, the home of 62-year old Rose Marie Rebello exploded, then erupted in flames. Ms. Rebello and her dog both died, and a firefighter and a utility worker were injured. Homes in the area suffered damage, and hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate. Six homes were rendered uninhabitable, and dozens of others were damaged.

Investigators discovered that a 200-foot long section of the gas main, which was installed over 40 years ago, was "damaged and breached," possibly by later construction activities. The damage may have been done during the installation of a sewer main and the tie-ins in the neighborhood, though that work was done in the 1970s.

It was the third Massachusetts explosion in three months. One man died in Scituate in December, and another man was seriously injured in January in Gloucester.  This is a sharp increase in the accident rate in Massachusetts compared to the previous ten years. Another man was killed in a gas explosion in his home in Manchester, NH, on February 24, 2009. Aging infrastructure and the need for greater maintenance are probably significant factors in gas explosions.

Continue reading "New Information in Fatal Gas Explosion in Somerset, Massachusetts" »