In 2010 there have been several reported cases of gas explosions at outside catering units. It's likely that lots more have gone unreported too. But if this issue isn't taken seriously, a major incident is going to happen. And that could jeopardise the entire events industry or lead to excessive legislation. 

Gas Safety: the worst of the worst

In our opinion these are the worst issues, and they're often in breach of several regulations:
  • Cylinders kept within close proximity to naked flames

  • No flame supervision devices on appliances

  • Unsecured hoses

  • Cylinders within public access

  • No control valves on appliances

Putting the dangers into perspective

  • LPG is corrosive and therefore erodes certain materials over time, like rubber hosing.

  • It's also a "seeking" gas as it's always looking for the easiest way out of it's container.

  • LPG will take advantage of any weaknesses in the system, which are 'likely' to occur over time. 

  • A Gas Safe engineer is trained to identify these weaknesses at an early stage.

  • Propane vapour is heavier than air. The invisible vapour will 'pool' in low-lying areas if a leak occurs. This is one of the main reasons why it's imperative that propane cylinders be used and stored outdoors only. 

  • For propane to burn effectively the oxygen-to-gas mixture must be within a certain range. For ideal conditions, there should be 4 parts propane to 96 parts oxygen. When the gas burns outside of these parameters the result is incomplete combustion, producing excessive amounts of potentially deadly carbon monoxide. 

  • Several gas explosions have occurred in the last few years on both gazebo and trailer set-ups, resulting in personal injury, smoke inhalation and damage to property. 

    *Including the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), the GSIUR (Gas Safety Installation an Use Regulations 1998). Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUMER). Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2012 and COP 24, sections 3&4

Common mistakes - Worm Drive Hose Clips

Why we don't like them...
  • The worm drive itself can bite into the hose and cause damage

  • Serrated or pierced inner rings bite into the hose and can cause damage too

  • The 'tightness' is subjective so could potentially be unsafe
They're no good for low pressure installations...
  • There's no way of knowing if the device is over-tightened and causing damage to the hose

  • You can't tell if the device has come loose so wouldn't know if it's not giving an effective seal (unless a gas leak test is carried out every time it's used)

  • They can be easily loosened for malicious purposes

  • When re-used they don't always form a consistent amount of pressure on the hose

    If you are still going to use worm drive clips, opt for those with a smooth inner ring rather than the serrated or pierced type. Only ever tighten them enough to prevent gas escaping - going too tight is likely to crush or damage the hose or the connector.  
Best practice for connections
You should use suitable factory-fitted swaged or crimped connectors to secure each end of low pressure hoses - just like those shown in this picture.

The safest solution:
The QuickSafe LPG System

@Copyright 2016 - NCASS. The Nationwide Caterers Association