Summer Time Safety

Yes ‘tis summer time once again. It’s time for beaches, sunning, barbecuing, and my favorite – cutting grass.

When I was 11, Dad bought a rotary push mower for us four boys to cut the grass with. “Why didn’t you buy a gas power mower?” I asked. He replied with a smile on his face, “When you’re older you’ll understand and appreciate it. Now you and your brothers go cut the yard. It’s not but a little more than an acre and besides it’ll be good exercise.”

Well I’m older now and thinking back on it, I don’t appreciate it. But I do understand it. Dad was cheep. By the way, our yard was three acres not one.

As temperatures climb to the high 80s, we all need to follow extra safety precautions to insure a fun-filled summer for everyone, so we can have plenty of time to cut grass.

Would you ride around with a stick of dynamite in your back seat? What about one hundred sticks of dynamite in the trunk?

One gallon of gasoline has the explosive power of a stick of dynamite, and the vapors from five gallons of gasoline have the explosive power of a hundred.

This summer be sure to transport gasoline in an approved container and when you get home, always store it outside. Gasoline vapors are extremely volatile; being heaver than air they will travel close to the ground, creating a vapor trail.

Vapors can travel down the hall, around corners, down steps, and even through the floor. An ignition source such as a pilot light from the hot water tank, heat from a car engine or spark from a light switch can cause an explosion.

Gasoline stored at 45 degrees below zero still gives off flammable vapors. But gasoline is not the only danger we should be aware of this summer. There’s still all that grass to cut.

When barbecuing, only use charcoal lighter fluid to light the charcoal. Once the fire is started, never spray addition lighter fluid on the fire. Believe me, burnt-off eyebrows are really painful, and the guys at work will make fun of you. They’ll also make fun of you if you have to call the fire department to come out to your house because you used too much lighter fluid.

Also, make sure when you’re done you store and dispose of used coals in proper containers or you can catch the woods on fire. Not that that’s ever happened to me.

Check the buckles of car seats or seat belts before fastening the kids in. They get really hot being in the sun all day. Wagons and bikes do too, so they should be cooled with water before letting the kids ride.

And before they take a drink, tell your children to let the water from the garden hose run a couple of minutes. The water in the hose can become very hot during the summer – a quick drink can become a quick burn. Hot pavement can also cause burns to the bottom of unprotected feet. Always wear shoes or sandals when crossing the road or the parking lot if you’re going to the beach.

For those of us who can’t afford a trip to the beach, we can take a trip to our friend’s house and swim in his new pool while he’s at the beach. I think Steve’s going away this weekend for the holiday. But even while at his pool we need to follow some safety rules.

All pools must have a fence around them with a gate that locks. Steve’s does, but that’s okay, I have a key. A life rope, life preserver or other life saving devices should be in every pool area. A rope that floats should be across the pool to separate the deep end from the shallow.

Store all pool chemicals in a safe dry area away from the pump room. Never mix chemicals and always pour or sprinkle them into the pool following manufacturer’s directions.

Always have an adult with a phone in the pool area if children are in the water. When you leave, lock back the gate to keep other children out. We’ll do that when we leave so Steve doesn’t know we used his pool while he was gone.

One other thing, if you swim in the morning you’ll still have enough time to cut the grass in the afternoon. There is a simple solution to this problem – swim all day. Then there won’t be any time left to cut the grass.

But if you’re in the water for a long period of time, make sure you apply and re-apply sun block, and drink lots of water. Even if you’re in the water, you still need lots of water in you.

If by chance you do get around to cutting the grass, never refuel the mower when the engine is hot. Wait for the engine to cool down before you add gas. Believe me, gasoline does not need to come in contact with hot metal to cause a fire. Just vapors from the fuel can cause an explosion and fire if the ignition temperature is reached. Even though a lawn mower on fire means you have a great excuse not to cut the grass, you’ll have to unpack that old push mower to finish it.

If you follow these simple safety rules, you or your lawn mower will not go up in a burst of flames this summer.

Just for your information, Home Depot still sells the old rotary push mowers. I’m buying one next week for The Boy so he can cut the grass and get some exercise.

No, I’m not cheep mind you. I just can’t afford the price of gas nowadays. Besides, I think it’ll be safer not to use all of that gasoline. Leastwise that’s what I’m telling The Boy.