Take Care and Remember on Memorial Day

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We would like to take time this Memorial Day to remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. “Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer,” according to history.com.

Since next Monday is a national holiday, we hope people take some time to both think about and celebrate the freedom of the sacrifices that they and their loved ones have made. Many people spend this holiday with family and friends, and some of these gatherings contemplate the more somber, traditional meaning of the day. Others have to work on Memorial Day and don’t really get a holiday. And other folks are navigating the roadways on one of the few holidays they get from their employer a year. Meanwhile, many truckers are on a schedule with loads and focused on safety with the increased traffic on the weekend that’s the unofficial start of summer. I urge all to be safe on roads, around grills, swimming pools, and in whatever celebration is planned. Please also look into the Memorial Day celebrations that the majority of communities have planned with veterans’ organizations for the day. Regardless of what you end up doing, please take some time today to remember fallen soldiers, explain to your children, and remind your friends, family and loved ones the true meaning of the holiday.

As mentioned above, Monday is also the symbolic beginning of summer, so we hope that everyone is enjoying their time off and being safe. For your information, below is a list of grilling safety tips adopted from a guide published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Gas Grill Safety Tips

  1. Check the tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage from insects, spiders, or food grease. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear blockage and push it through to the main part of the burner.
  2. Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
  3. Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease. If you can’t move the hoses, install a heat shield to protect them.
  4. Replace scratched or nicked connectors, which can eventually leak gas.
  5. Check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer’s instructions, if you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill to the liquid petroleum (LP) gas container. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas and don’t attempt to light the grill until the leak is fixed.
  6. Keep lighted cigarettes, matches, or open flames away from a leaking grill.
  7. Never use a grill indoors. Use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under a surface that can catch fire.
  8. Do not attempt to repair the tank valve or the appliance yourself. See an LP gas dealer or a qualified appliance repair person.
  9. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany the grill.
  10. Store LP containers upright, and never near a grill or indoors or in a hot car or car trunk.
  11. Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable liquids near the grill.

Charcoal Grill Safety Tips

Charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. Each year about 30 people die and 100 are injured as a result of CO fumes from charcoal grills and hibachis used inside.

To reduce these CO poisonings:

  1. Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or campers. Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if ventilation is provided.

Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.

The offices of Rehm, Bennett, Moore & Rehm, which also sponsors the Trucker Lawyers website, are located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Five attorneys represent plaintiffs in workers’ compensation, personal injury, employment and Social Security disability claims. The firm’s lawyers have combined experience of more than 95 years of practice representing injured workers and truck drivers in Nebraska, Iowa and other states with Nebraska and Iowa jurisdiction. The lawyers regularly represent hurt truck drivers and often sue Crete Carrier Corporation, K&B Trucking, Werner Enterprises, UPS, and FedEx. Lawyers in the firm hold licenses in Nebraska and Iowa and are active in groups such as the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), American Association for Justice (AAJ), the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys (NATA), and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). We have the knowledge, experience and toughness to win rightful compensation for people who have been injured or mistreated.

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