Gas cylinder safety

Gas  cylinders contain liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas or LPG) stored at high  pressure so you need to be careful to store, use, refill and dispose of them  safely. The following information explains gas cylinder safety practices.

• Watch video—Safety first: Storing,  transporting and maintaining LP gas cylinders

Storage and maintenance

• Keep the cylinder away from heat and direct sunlight where practicable.
• Check the valves are tightly turned off.
• Carry and store the cylinder upright at all times.
• If the cylinder has a Prest-O-Lite (POL) valve, insert a valve plug in the cylinder when you aren’t  using it and, for 9kg or less, when transporting the cylinder to exchange or refill.
• If the cylinder has the new LCC27 valve (identified by an external thread) no seal plug is required, but there should be a dust cap to stop dirt and debris from entering the valve.
• Check  your cylinder regularly for damage, malfunction and gas leaks (a ‘rotten egg’  gas smell).
• Use an approved test station to repair or replace cylinder valves if  needed.
• Do  not attempt to repair or remove cylinder valves yourself—only a trained and competent person can do this.

Using gas cylinders and devices

When using a gas cylinder and device:

• Do not use a cylinder that has corrosion or damage.
• Do not use a cylinder that is out of date—the test  date, stamped on the base or neck of the cylinder, is valid for 10 years.
• If you’re using the cylinder with a low-pressure portable gas device, use the approved regulator supplied with the device to control the pressure—ask your gas supplier or  the manufacturer to explain how.

When connecting the cylinder to a gas device, make sure that the rubber seal is intact and in good condition. Do not connect or use with damaged or missing seals.

When you have finished, make sure the regulator hose is empty of gas:

1. Turn off the cylinder valve while the gas device  is still operating.
2. Turn off the gas device valve.

Exchanges and refills

Your  local LPG retailer can safely refill or exchange your LPG cylinder. Before you  purchase a cylinder or accept an exchange cylinder:

• check  it is fitted with a valve plug for POL valves and a least a dust cap or plug for LCC27 valves
• check  the cylinder is in date—to be refilled, a cylinder must have a valid 10-year  test stamp
• do  not refill your own gas cylinder—only trained people using special equipment  can do this safely.

Disposal

You  can dispose of gas cylinders safely, at:

• approved  gas cylinder test stations
• some  council refuse centres
• some  gas suppliers.