Businesses Working With LPG Urged to Assess Risks and Storage Facilities
A leading environmental health consultancy, is reminding businesses which work with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) that they have a responsibility under health and safety legislation to ensure that it's stored and used safely.
Companies need to ensure that risks from dangerous substances are controlled; the consequences can be catastrophic if they aren't.
When LPG is stored and used in installations compliant with relevant health and safety legislation and industry codes of practice, it is deemed a safe fuel. However, LPG is flammable and heavier than air so it collects in low lying areas such as drains, cellars and basements. It can easily ignite, resulting in a fire and/or an explosion.
To reduce the risk of potentially fatal accidents and incidents in the UK LPG industry, the HSE advises that underground, metallic pipework should be replaced with pipework made from materials such as Polyethylene (plastic) which will not corrode. As an alternative, the pipework should be inspected by a competent person on a regular basis to ensure its integrity is maintained.
The company who owns the pipework is responsible for its integrity, even if maintenance, inspection or replacements are carried out by a third party. As a result, the company believes that it's critically important to keep a procedure in place for inspection and maintenance and to ensure that suitable records are kept.
Bear in mind that the company which owns the pipework may not be the same company which owns the tank or supplies the LPG so it's important to double check who's responsible for what.
Companies which work with LPG should have received a letter from their LPG supplier requesting the completion of a questionnaire. It's extremely important that this information is provided so that the necessary assessments can be made.
Companies need to ensure that risks from dangerous substances are controlled; the consequences can be catastrophic if they aren't.
When LPG is stored and used in installations compliant with relevant health and safety legislation and industry codes of practice, it is deemed a safe fuel. However, LPG is flammable and heavier than air so it collects in low lying areas such as drains, cellars and basements. It can easily ignite, resulting in a fire and/or an explosion.
To reduce the risk of potentially fatal accidents and incidents in the UK LPG industry, the HSE advises that underground, metallic pipework should be replaced with pipework made from materials such as Polyethylene (plastic) which will not corrode. As an alternative, the pipework should be inspected by a competent person on a regular basis to ensure its integrity is maintained.
The company who owns the pipework is responsible for its integrity, even if maintenance, inspection or replacements are carried out by a third party. As a result, the company believes that it's critically important to keep a procedure in place for inspection and maintenance and to ensure that suitable records are kept.
Bear in mind that the company which owns the pipework may not be the same company which owns the tank or supplies the LPG so it's important to double check who's responsible for what.
Companies which work with LPG should have received a letter from their LPG supplier requesting the completion of a questionnaire. It's extremely important that this information is provided so that the necessary assessments can be made.