Commonly used in our everyday lives, LPG cylinders are something most of us wouldn't be able to cook without. But these harmless looking cylinders can actually be dangerous.

Known to cause horrific mishaps, LPG cylinders can leak and cause severe damage to both your health and property.

How does a LPG gas leak occur?

Gas leaks can occur from defective rubber tubing (ones that connect the cylinder's outlet to our burner), faulty regulator fitting and poor handling of gas appliances. Apart from that, leaving the dish you are cooking unattended can cause the food to spill over, which in turn douses the burner and causes gas leak.

What are the risks associated with an LPG leak?

Hazard#1: Those occurring due to inhalation of the gas

If inhaled, it can displace air, deprive your lungs of oxygen and cause hypoxia leading to suffocation. The gas can also affect your brain and nervous system and cause euphoria (happy feeling), difficulty walking or speaking, dizziness, hallucinations, lack of coordination, nausea and loss of consciousness. Repeated exposure may cause mood swings, depression, seizures, brain haemorrhage and impaired memory. It may also damage your heart by causing irregular heart beat and high blood pressure. It may also reduce blood cells, damage lungs and cause liver and kidney inflammation.

Hazard#2: Those occurring due to explosion of the gas if there is a source of ignition

Explosion from LPG can result in serious burns and can cause multiple injuries and even, death. Blast shock waves can affect the ears, lungs and hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract of a person is close proximity to the blast site. Apart from that, your lungs may be damaged and bleed or swell up due to the impact. The explosion may also cause injury from fragments and other objects propelled in air. It also causes displacement of air that can throw victims, especially young children, against solid objects and cause injury like bone fractures. There may also be hidden brain injury and potential neurological consequences. Even if not injured, some people may experience post-traumatic stress disorder due to the psychological trauma.

It is easy to recognize a gas leak due to its powerful, pungent odour. You can also install electronic gas leak sensors in your house.

What you should do in case of a gas leak

The smallest spark or flame can ignite gas fumes and cause an explosion, so here are the steps you should take:

When a gas leak is suspected, extinguish all flames, incense sticks, candles, etc
Close the LPG regulator and put the safety cap on the cylinder.
Don’t light matches (or a lighter).
Do not switch on/off any electrical switches or appliances.
Open the doors and windows to ventilate your house or room.
Isolate main electrical supply from the outside.
Do not use mobile phone torch light.


First Aid

If inhaled, move the person to a place where he/she can breathe some fresh air. Let him/her rest in a position that is comfortable, and if necessary, you can administer artificial respiration.
If there has been skin contact with the gas, immediately remove the contaminated clothing. Rinse the affected skin with plenty of water for more than 20 minutes and seek medical help.
In case of eye contact rinse the eye and the eyelid immediately with plenty of water for more than 20 minutes. Continue rinsing and seek medical help.

The fire from a gas explosion can be extinguished with carbon dioxide (CO2), dry chemical powder or water spray. Also, all sources of ignition and flammable objects should be removed from the area. For the safety of people, they should be evacuated from the area as soon as possible.

Precautions

Always store gas cylinders away from sunlight, heat, sparks and flame.
Avoid contact with skin and eyes.
Protect containers and the valves against physical damage.
LP gas cylinders must be stored in an upright position. The pressure relief valve should be in the vapour space of the cylinder.
Get the hose checked regularly by your gas dealer.

Nice post.
My colleague during our undergraduate days died from gas explosion... 600 level MBBS,just a few weeks to being inducted as a Medical Doctor.
#RIP UCHMAN...

metroid:

Commonly used in our everyday lives, LPG cylinders are something most of us wouldn't be able to cook without. But these harmless looking cylinders can actually be dangerous.

Known to cause horrific mishaps, LPG cylinders can leak and cause severe damage to both your health and property.

How does a LPG gas leak occur?

Gas leaks can occur from defective rubber tubing (ones that connect the cylinder's outlet to our burner), faulty regulator fitting and poor handling of gas appliances. Apart from that, leaving the dish you are cooking unattended can cause the food to spill over, which in turn douses the burner and causes gas leak.

What are the risks associated with an LPG leak?

Hazard#1: Those occurring due to inhalation of the gas

If inhaled, it can displace air, deprive your lungs of oxygen and cause hypoxia leading to suffocation. The gas can also affect your brain and nervous system and cause euphoria (happy feeling), difficulty walking or speaking, dizziness, hallucinations, lack of coordination, nausea and loss of consciousness. Repeated exposure may cause mood swings, depression, seizures, brain haemorrhage and impaired memory. It may also damage your heart by causing irregular heart beat and high blood pressure. It may also reduce blood cells, damage lungs and cause liver and kidney inflammation.

Hazard#2: Those occurring due to explosion of the gas if there is a source of ignition

Explosion from LPG can result in serious burns and can cause multiple injuries and even, death. Blast shock waves can affect the ears, lungs and hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract of a person is close proximity to the blast site. Apart from that, your lungs may be damaged and bleed or swell up due to the impact. The explosion may also cause injury from fragments and other objects propelled in air. It also causes displacement of air that can throw victims, especially young children, against solid objects and cause injury like bone fractures. There may also be hidden brain injury and potential neurological consequences. Even if not injured, some people may experience post-traumatic stress disorder due to the psychological trauma.

It is easy to recognize a gas leak due to its powerful, pungent odour. You can also install electronic gas leak sensors in your house.

What you should do in case of a gas leak

The smallest spark or flame can ignite gas fumes and cause an explosion, so here are the steps you should take:

When a gas leak is suspected, extinguish all flames, incense sticks, candles, etc
Close the LPG regulator and put the safety cap on the cylinder.
Don’t light matches (or a lighter).
Do not switch on/off any electrical switches or appliances.
Open the doors and windows to ventilate your house or room.
Isolate main electrical supply from the outside.
Do not use mobile phone torch light.


First Aid

If inhaled, move the person to a place where he/she can breathe some fresh air. Let him/her rest in a position that is comfortable, and if necessary, you can administer artificial respiration.
If there has been skin contact with the gas, immediately remove the contaminated clothing. Rinse the affected skin with plenty of water for more than 20 minutes and seek medical help.
In case of eye contact rinse the eye and the eyelid immediately with plenty of water for more than 20 minutes. Continue rinsing and seek medical help.

The fire from a gas explosion can be extinguished with carbon dioxide (CO2), dry chemical powder or water spray. Also, all sources of ignition and flammable objects should be removed from the area. For the safety of people, they should be evacuated from the area as soon as possible.

Precautions

Always store gas cylinders away from sunlight, heat, sparks and flame.
Avoid contact with skin and eyes.
Protect containers and the valves against physical damage.
LP gas cylinders must be stored in an upright position. The pressure relief valve should be in the vapour space of the cylinder.
Get the hose checked regularly by your gas dealer.

lalasticlala,Mynd44

Quite educative. Where can I get the sensor
God will guide and protect us all

sainty2k3:
Quite educative. Where can I get the sensor

Super markets and online shopping websites in Nigeria

LPG gas is basically propane and butane, and it is odorless in its natural state. The smell that you notice when there is a leak is actually the stench of an entirely different agent, called Ethyl Mercaptan. This substance is added to the gas when it leaves the main storage.

m

Cool

Nice safety tips op. What about taking out the cylinder into open space? Is that safe enough?

0b100100111:
How much is 25kg of LPG now?

9 k

Download latest naija MP3 And video @ mp3badoo

0b100100111:
How much is 25kg of LPG now?

N8,600 refills it

Yaga

the best place to site your gas cylinder is outside your kitchen. it's safer. most of the time there's a leakage, it's usually from the cylinder valve head/gas regulator. if the gas cylinder is outside, the gas leaks into the air and not into a confined space like your kitchen. also, underaged children should never be allowed to operate the cooker and as a rule, if you can abide by it, always shut the gas valve installed on the cylinder after each use of your cooker. lastly and importantly, ALWAYS BUY HIGH QUALITY GAS CYLINDERS. there are a lot of substandard Chinese made cylinders in the market.

I too to fear gas oo

My hubby is using the kitchen, I am so scared to my bone marrow

This is educative.

My landlord had a gas leak from the hose with flame live on it. I hurriedly took the risk, went close and poured water on it. 2 months after, I got a slash on my rent.

If the valve is bad it can cause leakage too.

eezeribe:

lalasticlala,Mynd44

.U QUOTED WHOLE POST ONLY TO TYPE.!LALASTICLALA'why dnt u learn frm others.did u tink all here ar for tom3jerry

symbianDON:
the best place to site your gas cylinder is outside your kitchen. it's safer. most of the time there's a leakage, it's usually from the cylinder valve head/gas regulator. if the gas cylinder is outside, the gas leaks into the air and not into a confined space like your kitchen. also, underaged children should never be allowed to operate the cooker and as a rule, if you can abide by it, always shut the gas valve installed on the cylinder after each use of your cooker. lastly and importantly, ALWAYS BUY HIGH QUALITY GAS CYLINDERS. there are a lot of substandard Chinese made cylinders in the market.

But bros if even after placing d cylinder outside d kitchen and due to carelessness user forgets to turn off d cooker, won't it result into d same thing?
The best thing is we should be very careful when handling these things, one can also get d instrument stated above.

Nice post. Always think of safety first. Gas explosion is very dengerous. I strongly advice every gas user at home to install Gas leaks detector alarm in any area close to cooker or other gas appliances. This alarms will sound once there is even little amount of gas leakage or smell of gas.
Incase u know more inform about gas leak detector alarm, pls feel free to contact me

pls how can you know the cylinder is leaking

Una no go come read now till he happen.

eezeribe:
Nice post.
My colleague during our undergraduate days died from gas explosion... 600 level MBBS,just a few weeks to being inducted as a Medical Doctor.
#RIP UCHMAN...

You are obviously from CHS Nnewi.

Rip Uche.. [color=#006600][/color]

Good

eezeribe:
Nice post.
My colleague during our undergraduate days died from gas explosion... 600 level MBBS,just a few weeks to being inducted as a Medical Doctor.
#RIP UCHMAN...

Oga, Uche, wasn't in 600level. God rest his soul. A good dude after my heart. Broke my heart when I got to hear he was involved in the explosion, while working in SCBU

Bro,your post is purely true,having worked in an LPG refilling station,i've encountered users with such problems,this is an awesome piece sir.

Great Info

This has been on frontage for over an hour and not gotten to page 1 or 2

It tells you the kind of people on nairaland

No interest in intellectual discourse

Nice info....don't mind NLers. If its tribal war, by now it would have been on its 5th page

Nice educative post....

Thumbs up OP