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Safe Lpg Cylinders & Equipment – Avoiding the Hazards

By Terry Broughton, managing director, Gas Safe Consultants Ltd

Terry Broughton, managing director of Gas Safe Consultants Ltd, has worked for many years to ensure that users of lp gas cylinders and associated equipment are aware of the potential hazards and risks posed by the products they work with.

Whilst the lpg industry has a good safety record, accidents do occur. Here, I provide five key pointers on how to operate safely with lpg gas cylinders.
The first is training, which is a legal requirement under the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The majority of training undertaken with gases is by ‘word of mouth’, whereby a new member of staff is asked to observe and listen to someone who has been doing the job for a number of years, who is frequently incorrect.

We find that most operatives taught ‘on-the-job’ identify the contents of a gas cylinder by its colour. This is incorrect and potentially very dangerous. We also frequently find operators who have not received any manual handling training relating to gas cylinders.

Formally documented training is essential to make staff aware of the hazards, risks and properties of lpg. Operators may now undertake gas safety awareness training online, utilising one of our established e-learning packages, or they may wish to attend one of our traditional instructor-led workshops.

The second factor is risk assessment. In our experience, organisations have generally undertaken risk assessments on many key factors but have neglected lp gas cylinder use. We also find that it is the job of only one or two people to produce risk assessments.
The problem with this approach is that, if the assessors concerned do not understand the hazards that may be posed by the use of gases within the organisation, how can they spot those hazards and calculate the risks?

Check that complete risk assessments are in place covering all aspects of lp gas cylinders and their storage, handling, transportation and use. Should you discover there is insufficient knowledge within your organisation, we provide an lp gas specific risk assessment service.
The third factor is the production and use of standard operating procedures (SOPs), sometimes called method statements. Most activities should have a documented SOP detailing exactly how the operation is to be carried out. Staff must be properly trained in the operation (and that fact formally recorded in their training record) and have access to relevant risk assessments.

We frequently find users of oxy-fuel equipment who do not have access to any form of SOP and have been using incorrect techniques. Operators are ‘time served’ and learned about welding at college or during an apprenticeship and ‘know’ how to do the job properly.
We ask to see their nozzle data charts, correct spark lighters and leak test solutions, which they are unable to produce. Operators are frequently using the wrong nozzle size for the job, not setting the correct pressures – which increases the risk of a flashback occurring – and then not checking for leaks prior to lighting up the equipment, using the wrong type of spark lighter.

CHECK THAT OPERATORS CAN USE LPG EQUIPMENT CORRECTLY

Check that detailed SOPs are in place and that operators have been trained to follow them.
Fourthly, lp gas control equipment should be visually inspected prior to each use, with regular written inspection reports being produced and kept. It is a common misconception that regulators and other lpg equipment can be used indefinitely as long as they appear to be in good condition.

In fact, lp gas equipment has a ‘lifespan’ that is typically five years. Once it reaches this age, it must be replaced or professionally refurbished, irrespective of how much use it has had.
We often discover that lp gas control equipment is being checked but is not tagged to indicate the date of inspection and the ‘next due’ inspection date. In these instances, it is not possible to demonstrate whether or not the equipment is safe to use.

Check that lp gas equipment, such as regulators, are regularly inspected, tagged and replaced in line with relevant guidance notes and Codes of Practice.

The fifth and final factor concerns the monitoring of atmospheres. Few lp gas users are aware of the importance of this simple activity, as they are unaware of the consequences of an lp gas leak – possibly due to a lack of formal training.

Many lpg gas users are unaware of the importance of appropriate ventilation and do not even know whether the gases they are using are lighter or heavier than air. This is fundamentally important if gas is leaking from damaged equipment or a poor connection and creating a potentially hazardous atmosphere. This is extremely relevant to operators who move lp gas cylinders in enclosed vehicles, but it applies equally to anyone using gases.

Ensure that the need to monitor atmospheres where gases are used has been considered, normally at the risk assessment stage, and that ‘worst case scenario’ calculations have been undertaken for all enclosed areas where gases are stored, handled, used or transported.
This is not an exhaustive list of all considerations, so please take some time to review lp gas usage in your organisation.

Contact Gas Safe Consultants on 01270 758890 www.gassafeconsultants.co.uk