Frying a Turkey: 5 Potential Dangers and 9 Safety Tips

November 21, 2017

Thanksgiving is almost here!  Are you planning to cook a turkey?  Are you planning to fry it?  Because of the fire dangers associated with them, the NFPA strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers.  If you are still planning to fry your turkey, know the potential dangers, provided by the U. S. Fire Administration (USFA):

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  1. Turkey fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil across a large area.
  2. A cooking pot that is overfilled will cause oil to spill over the top when the turkey is placed inside.
  3. A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter.
  4. Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire.
  5. The pot, lid, and handles of a turkey fryer can get extremely hot and cause burns.

With these dangers in mind, be sure to follow these tips from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to keep you, your guests, and your property safe:

  1. Read the owner’s manual for proper set up and safety tips.
  2. Completely thaw the turkey before frying.
  3. Use the correct amount of oil.
  4. Never leave the fryer unattended.
  5. Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
    • The USFA recommends having a “3-foot kid- and pet-free zone” around your turkey fryer.
  6. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby.  Never use water to extinguish an oil fire.
  7. As the lid and handles of the cooking pot could get dangerously hot, be sure to protect yourself from burns.
    • The USFA recommends wearing long cooking gloves that protect hands and arms.
  8. Do not deep fry your turkey inside your garage, on your porch, or inside your home.
  9. Use your fryer outside, away from trees, walls, fences, and other structures.

No matter what or how you are cooking this Thanksgiving, be safe.  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving Day is the peak day for home cooking fires.  Many of these fires are preventable by taking safety precautions.

And, as always, remember to test your smoke alarms ahead of time.

Resources

http://www.nfpa.org/thanksgiving

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/turkey_fryers_flyer.pdf

http://www.insurance.pa.gov/Coverage/Documents/Turkey_frying_tips.pdf


This blog entry is created for informational purposes only. Any viewpoint or sponsorship of outside parties involved in the blog entry does not necessarily represent Goodville's stance as a company. The blog should not be used as a substitute for professional advice.