Accident Totals And Suggestions As To How To Avoid Them Can Be Downright Disingenuous
Killjoys In Chief, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents put out a statement in May of this year to do with safety around the barbeque. It states that, last year eighteen hundred people had to have treatment at the local A&E department due to an accident involving a bbq. But I am having a problem reconciling the figures.
For instance, it says that eight hundred were the result of to a scald or burn, 200 had contrived to cut themselves in some way. And what, you could ask, of the other eight hundred people? Alas, despite the large part of the total there is no clue. What they did to themselves and how doesn't seem worth recording.
Here's another. Of the 1800, one thousand four hundred had been at home, and the other 300 in a public place. Do you notice anything? The remaining one hundred must have been injured in a remote dimension where nothing is either private or public but everyone gets together for a barbeque and once in a while someone gets hurt and they need to take a trip to Earth for treatment. Do they have such things as a Weber bbq in this magical place or do they make their own? I'd like to know.
Actually I think what happens here is that many of the accidents are treated and the word 'barbeque' is used in the context of "we were having a bbq round the Weber and as I went to get the brown sauce from the fridge, fell over the dog lying in the hall and got a bash on the head as I fell against the wall. Is this a barbeque accident? No, more of a pet accident I would suggest, and I bet RoSPA gleefully carve a notch in the log to do with bbq, Weber bbq, pets, and probably alcohol just in case. 1 mishap, four reports.
This is also the case with traffic accidents involving alcohol. If a bus transporting 50 passengers brakes suddenly because a drunk swerves into the road in front of it and somebody biffs their head on the seat in front requiring treatment, the official record will be fifty two people involved in an alcohol related road incident. (The other one os the driver)
RoSPA have issued a number of guidelines to follow to help avoid mishaps such as not starting a barbeque in an enclosed space. This is great but what do they mean 'enclosed space'. A small patio with a fence round it is an 'enclosed space' (so is a large patio with a fence come to that) but surely this is an appropriate location? Another one mentions never pouring petrol, meths or accelerants on a barbeque. This is nonsense. They don't mean never, what they mean is when it's already burning. If you're using a coal burning Weber bbq for example, you may require something to get it going to start with and these will generally involve an accelerant of some description. I do agree that petrol is a bit extreme but meths? Another suggestion is that you don't light a bbq beneath a tree as they "have been known to catch fire". Well, gratitudes for that, I lived in Canberra during January 2003 when the bush fires raged and destroyed some of the outer suburbs. I know trees can burn a bit, what with being made of wood and all!
However, joking aside, RoSPA do good and worthy work, though I reckon most of it is probably pretty non-taxing when it comes to dreaming up guidelines, but as long as there is a dearth of commonsense the temptation to tut and wag fingers will always be with us.
For instance, it says that eight hundred were the result of to a scald or burn, 200 had contrived to cut themselves in some way. And what, you could ask, of the other eight hundred people? Alas, despite the large part of the total there is no clue. What they did to themselves and how doesn't seem worth recording.
Here's another. Of the 1800, one thousand four hundred had been at home, and the other 300 in a public place. Do you notice anything? The remaining one hundred must have been injured in a remote dimension where nothing is either private or public but everyone gets together for a barbeque and once in a while someone gets hurt and they need to take a trip to Earth for treatment. Do they have such things as a Weber bbq in this magical place or do they make their own? I'd like to know.
Actually I think what happens here is that many of the accidents are treated and the word 'barbeque' is used in the context of "we were having a bbq round the Weber and as I went to get the brown sauce from the fridge, fell over the dog lying in the hall and got a bash on the head as I fell against the wall. Is this a barbeque accident? No, more of a pet accident I would suggest, and I bet RoSPA gleefully carve a notch in the log to do with bbq, Weber bbq, pets, and probably alcohol just in case. 1 mishap, four reports.
This is also the case with traffic accidents involving alcohol. If a bus transporting 50 passengers brakes suddenly because a drunk swerves into the road in front of it and somebody biffs their head on the seat in front requiring treatment, the official record will be fifty two people involved in an alcohol related road incident. (The other one os the driver)
RoSPA have issued a number of guidelines to follow to help avoid mishaps such as not starting a barbeque in an enclosed space. This is great but what do they mean 'enclosed space'. A small patio with a fence round it is an 'enclosed space' (so is a large patio with a fence come to that) but surely this is an appropriate location? Another one mentions never pouring petrol, meths or accelerants on a barbeque. This is nonsense. They don't mean never, what they mean is when it's already burning. If you're using a coal burning Weber bbq for example, you may require something to get it going to start with and these will generally involve an accelerant of some description. I do agree that petrol is a bit extreme but meths? Another suggestion is that you don't light a bbq beneath a tree as they "have been known to catch fire". Well, gratitudes for that, I lived in Canberra during January 2003 when the bush fires raged and destroyed some of the outer suburbs. I know trees can burn a bit, what with being made of wood and all!
However, joking aside, RoSPA do good and worthy work, though I reckon most of it is probably pretty non-taxing when it comes to dreaming up guidelines, but as long as there is a dearth of commonsense the temptation to tut and wag fingers will always be with us.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about bbq grills then visit 2bbq site on how to choose the best gas barbeque for your needs.
Posts
Post a Comment