Tema-Ghana, Feb. 11, GNA – The public has been cautioned against the practice of shaking gas cylinders as a way of checking the quantity of gas in it.
“The act is dangerous and a recipe for an explosion and potential fire outbreak,” Mr. Samuel Otu Larbi, gas expert explained.
It has become a normal practice to see some people, especially women vehemently shaking their gas cylinders to check the quantity of gas in them.
Mr Otu Larbi, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Solution Solve Limited, said shaking the cylinders amounts to generating and building up pressure in the cylinder making it dangerous.
Mr Otu Larbi was speaking at the Ghana News Agency Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue where he addressed issues related to second-hand and home-used gas cylinders.
He advised that instead of shaking the cylinder, cold water could be poured on it and immediately the level of gas in it would show.
The gas cylinder could also be turned over to lie on its side, and if there is gas in it, the cylinder will become unstable on its own but if it is stable that means there is no gas.
Mr Otu Larbi explained that like all forms of energy, Liquefied Petroleum Gas was potentially hazardous if mishandled or misused and called on the authorities to ensure an informed and uniform approach to good safety practice.
He said controlling risks guarantee the health and safety of people and safeguard property and the environment and cautioned that the danger associated with LP Gas is always present, “only the risk is reduced by behaviour.”
The major players, ‘the installer, the marketer, and the consumer’ have a major role to play in the safe handling of the gas, stressing that “LPG is potentially hazardous from production until it has been used.
“So, every uncontrolled release is a hazardous act and should receive urgent attention. Thus, even the smallest gas leak can be detected and should receive appropriate and immediate attention.”
He explained that the hazard associated with LPG could occur during transportation, delivery, or consumption of the gas.
On whether the usage of gas regulators with a valve could help in detecting the amount of gas in a cylinder, Mr Otu Larbi said, “pressure regulators with gauges on the market are fake.”
He explained that gas is measured by volume and weight not by pressure adding that the gauges measure the pressure instead of the volume and weight.
He noted that the regulators work in a way that when the pressure is more the gauge indicates green and when it goes down it turns red, saying that does not mean the gas volume has finished.
He said when the pressure is low it does not mean the gas was finished in the cylinder stressing that “it is more dangerous at that level because the vapour that makes it burn is still inside.”
The Gas Expert explained that pressure regulators open for the gas to come out when the vapour in the cylinder causes the gas to boil and builds up pressure.
Mr Otu Larbi added that when the pressure is not enough, it could not push the regulator to open making the user think it was finished.
