Keeping Your Kids Safe Around Propane

Summertime means one thing for families across the country: getting outdoors. Even the youngest family members look forward to time outside and warm-weather activities. Almost 830,000 farms and rural homesteads rely on propane for their energy needs, which means extra care should be taken to educate children about propane-related equipment on your property. Propane is a safe way to meet energy needs, but giving kids clear instructions on how to behave around propane equipment will better help to ensure they stay safe. Additionally, they can provide more eyes and ears to watch and warn about potential hazards. Here are a few helpful pointers to keep in mind when teaching children about staying safe around propane.

Never Store Propane Indoors

As mentioned in our previous article regarding storage of propane, propane cylinders should always be stored outside in well-ventilated areas. Propane should not be stored indoors because gas can accumulate in an enclosed area, causing extremely unsafe conditions. Make sure your kids know that if they see a canister of propane inside, they should tell an adult immediately so it can be moved to a safe spot.

What to Do if You Smell Propane

It is important to teach your kids what hazardous materials smell and look like to keep everyone safe. Teach them that propane will smell like rotten eggs or a skunk, so they will recognize when something is wrong. Be sure to also let them know if that they smell propane, they should find an adult right away to report the possible leak.

Give Propane Some Space

Often times, children can easily believe everything is a toy, especially large propane tanks. However, propane tanks are not play surfaces and should be off limits for games. Communicate with your kids about steering clear of propane equipment and finding other areas to explore to maintain a safe environment and minimize possible equipment damage.

 

For more information on how to keep your kids safe around propane, or more propane safety tips, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Texas Propane with the link below!