Barbecue safety

• Always use your barbecue according to the manufacturer's instructions and warning labels.
• Understand how to check that your LPG cylinder is in date and certified as safe to use, and how to dispose of it correctly if it is no longer safe.
• Before using a barbecue, always check the hose is not cracked, kinked, crushed or stretched. When not in use, protect the hose from heat, sun exposure and physical damage. It is good practice to replace the hose every five years.
• Check that the regulator and hose are connected tightly to the cylinder and the barbecue so there are no leaks. Using a soapy water solution, spray the connection joint. If bubbles appear, there is a leak. Tighten if necessary and then retest. If bubbles still appear, immediately isolate the gas and have the fault repaired by a licensed gas fitter, or replace the faulty component.
• Make sure the drip tray and grills are clean of grease and oil (which will help to prevent a fire), the burners are not blocked, and the control knobs are not seized.
• Only use your barbecue in a well ventilated area and never use it indoors.
• When you’ve finished using the barbecue, turn the gas off at both the cylinder and barbecue. Turning off the cylinder first is the safer method, as it allows gas in the pipe to burn off rather than trapping it between the cylinder and the barbecue.
• Make sure children are kept a safe distance away from barbecues and LPG cylinders.
• Have your barbecue checked every two years by a licensed gas fitter, who can repair or replace any worn parts and sure the barbecue is operating safely and efficiently.

Find out the safety checks you can do to ensure your barbecue and LPG cylinder are safe to use.

Bushfire risks from outdoor gas appliances

Outdoor gas appliances such as gas barbecues have the potential to start bushfires. See Bushfire safety for more information.

Do not use gas appliances where there is a lot of dry fuel nearby (eg grass, twigs, paper) as it could start a fire. The CFS website has information on what you can and can't do during fire danger season and on total fire ban days.

If you want to install a fixed barbecue in an outdoor entertaining area, make sure you hire a licensed gas fitter to undertake any work related to the gas installation, and get a certificate of compliance from the gas fitter for the work done.

Do it yourself barbecue trailers are often poorly designed and have not been tested or safety certified for use in Australia. It is illegal to sell or hire out uncertified gas appliances in Australia.

It’s impossible to tell if a gas appliance is safe just by looking at it. Uncertified appliances may be dangerous and can put you and others at risk of injury if used. Extensive testing is required to establish gas appliance safety and these tests must be carried out by an authorised laboratory to the required Australian Standards.

For your safety, do not build your own barbecue trailer – consider alternatives instead. Securely mounting two certified gas barbecues on a trailer, for example, will safely do the same job.