Most homes these days use gas cylinders as the source of fuel for cooking food. These cylinders comprise combustible liquefied Petroleum gas. It is compressed to fit in the cylinder. The nature of this gas makes it crucial to handle the cylinder safely and securely.
There have been a lot of cases of explosions in connection with the domestic gas cylinders in the past few days. Due to this, it has become imperative to create awareness about the safety precautions for avoiding explosions.
Some of the safety measures one needs to take related to the domestic gas cylinder are as follows:
Safety measures while purchasing gas cylinder:
Ensure that you purchase the gas cylinder from reliable dealers. Do not purchase it from the black market. You must always prefer purchasing a cylinder with an ISI mark on it.
At the time of gas cylinder delivery, check if the cylinder is sealed well and the safety cap is not been tampered with. If it is not sealed or the safety cap has been tampered with, it can lead to leakage of gas. Due to this, the possibility of an explosion is high.
Safety measures to store the gas cylinder:
When it comes to taking safety measures, the storage of gas cylinders needs to be considered carefully. The best place to store domestic gas cylinders is in a space with proper ventilation. Make sure you do not store the gas cylinder where there is direct sunlight. Due to the nature of the gas in the cylinder, it is good to keep it away from flammable substances and electric sockets.
Safety measures while using a gas cylinder:
- Avoid keeping the vessels unattended while cooking, as the food can spill over the burner.
- Do not use cloth for picking vessels from the stove, as there is the possibility of cloth catching fire.
- You should not spray any kind of flammable solution when the flame of the gas is burning.
- Do not keep any acids or chemicals close to the cylinder.
- Never keep plastic or paper products near the flame, as it can lead to a fire.
Safety measures for the maintenance of gas cylinders:
- Make sure you regularly check the gas cylinder hose to see if there are signs of wear and tear.
- You should never tamper with the valve pin, the regulator, or the hose.
- Do not tamper with the safety cap which is attached to the nylon thread.
- If you are not going to use the domestic gas cylinder for some days, make sure you attach the cap instead of keeping the regulator.
- You should not keep any appliances close to the stove, as appliances release continuous sparks or heat which can be hazardous.
Safety measures in case of leakage:
The above-mentioned safety measures will to a great extent help in reducing the possibility of leakage however, you need to be prepared if there is leakage. Are you getting some smell whenever you go near the cylinder or gas burner? If yes, prepare the solution of soap with water and place it close to the cylinder mouth. If you find bubbling near the hose, then it can be confirmed there is a leakage in your domestic gas cylinder. In such a situation, you should first open doors and windows so that the leakage can disperse. If you still get that smell, take your cylinder to an open space. Make sure that there are no electrical appliances functioning and do not use a lighter during this time.
Even though domestic gas cylinders have made cooking simple and quick, it is vital that you use them with utmost care.
