Gas cookers are one of the most popular types of cooking appliances. They provide a quick and easy way to cook food, but they can also be more dangerous than electric stoves if misused. For this reason, gas stove safety is a crucial topic for anyone who uses natural gas appliances. It’s especially essential for senior citizens who are more likely to suffer injuries if there is a gas leak or a fire.
Gas cookers or stove safety is of the utmost importance for everyone who cooks on these useful appliances. Senior citizens must take extra care to stay safe from potential dangers. Some safety tips include installing additional devices, such as stove shut-off devices, a fire extinguisher, stove alarms, and a carbon monoxide / smoke detector.
What Are The Dangers Of Using A Gas Cooker or Stove?
Gas stoves are among the most popular cooking appliances in most homes, and it’s not hard to see why. These appliances provide a level of convenience and flexibility that is unmatched by most other cooking methods.
However, gas stoves also come with some inherent dangers. One of the biggest dangers posed by these appliances are the potential fire hazards. A gas stove top cooks using a gas flame. This open flame can easily ignite any combustible materials that come in contact with it, resulting in dangerous kitchen fires.
Flammable materials are items such as loose clothing (sleeves that hang loosely, a blouse that billows out, etc), long hair, food debris, dish towels, oven mitts – really anything that can burn.
Another danger associated with gas stoves is gas leaks. If the stove is left on for a long time or there is a leak in the gas line, this can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.
Effects of inhaling gas from a stove include:
- Persistent headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea and flu-like symptoms
- Fatigue
- Irritation of the eyes and throat
- Blistering of the skin
- Difficulty breathing
Can A Gas Stove Explode?
Explosions from modern gas stoves are rare but not impossible. The primary reason gas stoves explode is because of a gas leak. If the stove has been turned off, but there is still a gas leak present, this can be extremely dangerous. A spark from, for example, turning on a light switch could easily ignite the gas and cause an explosion.
For this reason, it’s crucial to ensure that your stove is turned off and that there are no gas leaks present before leaving the house or going to sleep. If you smell gas (a rotten egg odor) coming from your stove, it may mean that there’s a natural gas leak somewhere in your house. Avoid touching anything that may spark a fire. Instead, evacuate the home. Call 911 as soon as you are a safe distance away from the house.
Is It Safe To Use A Gas Stove Without A Vent?
The majority of gas ranges in the US don’t require venting to the outside. However, it’s advisable to vent any gas range you’re using to the exterior of your home. You see, professional-grade range hoods produce harmful PM 2.5 particles. These particles are so tiny they can sit in your lungs for years without being removed. This is especially harmful to the elderly, as their immune systems are weaker than those of younger people.
Gas stoves also produce nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. Heavy exposure to these chemicals can be fatal. Carbon monoxide is the most dangerous because it’s odorless and colorless.
Therefore, while you can use some stoves without a vent, it’s best to stay on the safe side and install a range hood. Not only will this keep you safe from harmful particles and chemicals, but it will also increase the value of your home.
How Do I Make Sure My Gas Cooker Is Safe?
If used properly, a gas cooker will prove to be a reliable and convenient appliance. The following tips will help to maximize your safety:
- Never leave your stove unattended while cooking.
- Make sure all burners are turned off when you’re done using them.
- Use soapy water to wipe spilled and splattered food debris off the stove top after the hot burners have cooled. Do this on a daily basis.
- Make sure to clean food particles off any unused back burners
- Never use water to put out a fat or grease fire.
- Ensure adequate ventilation in your kitchen.
- Turn pot handles to the side of the stove burners (away from the edge of the stove). Don’t let them face towards the front of the stove where they can be snagged by the cook and knocked over.
- Never allow small children to cook without adult supervision.
- Keep children and pets outside of the kitchen.
- Ensure the exhaust fan above the stove doesn’t have grease or fat buildup.
- Check to be sure smoke alarms are working correctly.
- Ensure the flame doesn’t go out while you’re cooking.
- Keep all flammable materials away from any source of heat.
- Invest in safety devices like shut-off devices, fire extinguishers, a carbon monoxide detector, stove alarms, and a smoke alarm to ensure the safety of your home.
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At RCL Safety Centre this training is also available in different Nigerian languages like PIDGIN,YORUBA,HAUSA AND IGBO
Our company (RCL Safety Centre) is an indigenous company dedicated to Health, Safety and Environment Training and Services.
We are technical partners of the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) as well as approved training partners of most major International Occupational Safety and Health organizations like NEBOSH, and corporate members of ISPON (Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria) with thousands of personnel trained in various areas till date.
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