The National Fire Protection Association claims that “more than 6,100 accidental fires and explosions occur [each year] due to the improper use of grills, resulting in 20,000 emergency room visits and $29.1 million of estimated damage.”¹ Furthermore, approximately 20 deaths each year are attributed to propane fires and explosions associated with gas grills.²

First, the mechanics of a common household propane tank need to be understood. When propane tanks are exposed to excessive heat, the gas itself expands. If there is not enough room in the tank to accommodate the expanded gas, a pressure release valve will open in order to allow propane gas to be emitted from the tank. This is called “venting.” It typically occurs when the internal tank pressure exceeds 375 PSI and prevents the tank from exploding.

When venting occurs, a pungent odor should be present. Propane is an odorless gas; the “rotten eggs” smell most people associate with propane is actually provided by ethyl mercaptan, an additive which is mixed with propane gas to alert users of a leak. The problem arises when gas is released from the tank during venting, but there is no odor. This is known as “odor fade.”

Avoid disaster by remembering that just because you do not smell propane, that does not mean there is no propane present. In addition to the warnings already found on your propane tank, here are some other safety tips to ensure that your weekend barbecue occurs without incident:

While these may seem like obvious precautions, failure to carefully conform to these warnings has resulted in numerous tragedies and much litigation.
 

With this information, it is our hope that you will take the proper preventative measures to ensure that you and your loved ones will have a safe and happy summer season.
 

Remember, if you have been injured by a propane tank explosion or fire, you should contact the Daly Law Firm at (281) 482-8500. The consultation is free.

 

¹NFPA, Use Care When Firing Up the Barbecue, http://www.pleasantonweekly.com (accessed Sept. 24, 2003).
²National Fire Incident Reporting System. Cited in NFPA, Use Care When Firing Up the Barbecue.
³Bruce Goldfarb, Keltie’s Blast Shows Danger of Propane, Danbury News-Times (July 27, 1998).

Unbeknownst to most workers, the environment they are working in can have harmful, if not lethal, effects on their health. As the son of a union ironworker, I know firsthand the devastating effects that an unsafe work environment can have on an individual and that person’s entire family.

My father worked hard his entire life as a construction worker trying to provide for his family. As a union ironworker, he went where the work was. During the 1960’s, his company sent him to Vietnam to build communications towers and runways to assist with the war effort. While in Vietnam, the government dropped a chemical known as Agent Orange in close proximity to the areas he was working in to help clear the area for construction. The dangerous effects of Agent Orange are well documented today, but at the time, the workers and soldiers who were exposed had no idea what effect this chemical agent would mean to their lives down the road.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, my father worked in chemical plants throughout the United States where he was exposed to other harmful chemical agents, including Benzene. Again, trusting that his risks were limited to things he could see or prevent himself, he faithfully showed up to work each day and watched his step, taking the safety precautions he was taught over the years. But, there are some risks workers simply do not know about.

In the mid 1980’s, my father was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocitic Leukemia. CLL has been linked to Agent Orange and Benzene exposure. My father courageously battled CLL for seven years.

After he was diagnosed, my father suspected that his illness was directly linked to the work environments he had been in. Yet, when he sought legal advice, he was told that the link between his illness and previous work history was too speculative and was turned away. When he filed for disability benefits, he was turned down repeatedly. The last time he applied for disability, he was told that he was not sick enough. He was dead six months later. On July 5, 1992, my father passed away from CLL.

As the founder of the Daly Law Firm, PLLC, I built my firm on the promise that I would treat every client the way that my father should have been treated. He deserved more diligence and competence from the attorneys that he spoke to. His case should have been investigated more thoroughly. The companies my father worked for should have been held accountable. They were not.

My father’s case is not an isolated case. Construction and chemical plant workers across the United States were exposed to all kinds of harmful chemical agents through the years and many are just now becoming symptomatic. But all is not lost. There are good doctors and good attorneys that can help you. The Daly Law Firm is just one of many good firms that can help you.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to harmful chemical agents or asbestos on the job site and has developed certain cancers or mesothelioma, my firm will stand by your side and hold those companies who harmed you accountable. That is my promise to you.

Contact the Daly Law Firm today and see what our firm can do for you.