X

Vous n'êtes pas connecté

Rubriques :

Maroc Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 10/Oct 07:19

Time bomb in the kitchen

PAOLO KERNAHAN THERE WAS a tragic insight in the story of a fatality caused by an LPG gas tank explosion. The victim’s husband said that when his wife, Ria George, woke up, she smelled gas in the kitchen. By his account, “the gas man” told them when that happens “take out the rubber and flip it over,” which they did. Ria George scratched the match, igniting the gas that had already permeated the kitchen. Two lives of modest means were detonated by something that sits like a time bomb in thousands of homes across this country. George did as was recommended – it turned out to be terrible advice. No one using LPG cylinders should be tampering with them, particularly if there’s a detectable odour of gas. It raises the question: how many households are unaware of what to do with a leaky gas tank? Do you take it back to the gas station or wherever it was purchased, leaking gas all the way there? Turns out the answers to these and many more questions are right there on the NP website – the FAQs deal with the safe transportation of LPG cylinders, what you should do in the event of a leak, how to identify a faulty O-ring, contact numbers for further information, etc. So, how could this recent tragedy have happened, given the clearly spelt-out information on the website? The answer is simple. Ordinary members of the public, particularly those in the lower socio-economic brackets, won’t even be aware of the NP website or have the presence of mind to go in search of one. Many citizens are pressed with rising long before the crack of dawn to marshal the kids for school, cook breakfast, pack lunch and prepare for the glacial commute to work. Protocols for managing a potentially explosive device in the kitchen are likely low on the pecking order of daily concerns that absorb attention. The information on the NP website is absolutely crucial for users of LPG tanks, yet the company is making a serious error – one that many others make, but without similar consequences. With such information, you can’t wait for the public to come find it. NP must actively and consistently go out there and put this life-saving education in front of consumers across social media and conventional media outlets. Such incidents aren’t new. Conversations about them are perhaps louder today because of the proliferation of social media and security footage that sometimes captures these calamities. When I started my career in journalism way back in the 90s, one of the stories I covered was a spate of LPG tank explosions. I visited different filling plants and distribution centres to examine their processes and safety measures. In those days, the industry responded to reports of leaking gas tanks by introducing a plastic seal over the tank valve. I’ve encountered plastic seals on pepper sauce bottles that were far more sound than those used on gas tanks. Questions were raised then about how effective they really were. That didn’t matter much anyway because if the valve or O-ring was defective, the seal would only be useful in the transportation process. Once in the home, it’s on you. The flimsy plastic seal has since evolved into a more robust valve cap – but it’s still a measure that applies more to the safe transportation and not the use of the gas. NP, somewhat injudiciously, issued a release in the wake of the most recent gas tank incident, reminding customers of their responsibility to do the soapy water test on the valve. Perhaps cylinders should be sold with a Palmolive taped to the side as a reminder. Naturally, several citizens interpreted this statement as NP passing the problem onto the consumer. It begs the questions: What are NP’s routine tests on the structural integrity of these tanks before they’re dispatched to the public? Is there a rigid standard of testing across the vast distribution network to reduce the risks to households? LPG-related burn injuries are fairly common around the world. In Indonesia, for example, there were 509 burn injuries over five years. This data is included in a comprehensive report analysing the problem. LPG cylinders will continue to be a major feature of our landscape. Electric stoves can cost nearly twice as much as gas stoves and are more expensive to operate. Consumers deserve the protection of more robust screening measures. NP needs to invest in broader public safety education for households. Bubbling a pot shouldn’t be a death sentence for anyone. The post Time bomb in the kitchen appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Articles similaires

Burn victim remembered as loyal employee, loving aunt

newsday.co.tt - 04/Oct 08:31

Ria George, 47, who died after an almost two-month fight for life when her gas tank exploded, was remembered as a kind, loving and dedicated woman by...

Family of five injured in LPG cylinder blast in Noida’s Sector 82

hindustantimes.com - 04/Oct 00:19

Fire officials said due to narrow streets, fire engines encountered difficulty in reaching the spot. However, using hose pipes, they were able to...

Family of five injured in LPG cylinder blast in Noida’s Sector 82

hindustantimes.com - 04/Oct 00:19

Fire officials said due to narrow streets, fire engines encountered difficulty in reaching the spot. However, using hose pipes, they were able to...

Sorry! Image not available at this time

Commercial LPG Cylinder Prices Hiked By Rs 15.50, No Change In Domestic Rates

zeenews.india.com - 01/Oct 04:58

Last month, on September 1st, the Oil Marketing Companies reduced the rates of commercial 19 kg Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders by Rs 51.50,...

WASA to divert supply as dry taps frustrate Crown Point

newsday.co.tt - 03/Oct 07:51

As Tobago continues to be plagued with challenges with the availability of water, officials of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the Tobago...

Sorry! Image not available at this time

No one-off measures expected as cost of living looms large

wn.com - 04/Oct 07:08

Days out from Budget 2026 and the Government is holding firm on its line that there will not be a repeat of the one-off measures seen in recent years...

Sorry! Image not available at this time

Comment on Snowy 2.0 fiasco – déjà vu, all over again, for the umpteenth time  by dash pool

reneweconomy.com.au - 06/Oct 07:19

The case for pumped-hydro is that it will be able to supply during the several-days periods where there are big gaps in generation on the NEM. e.g....

Dangote Refinery Accuses PENGASSAN of Economic Sabotage

mockinbird.com.ng - 28/Sep 20:48

  .. directive threatens fuel availability, government revenue Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff...

Dangote Refinery Accuses PENGASSAN of Economic Sabotage

mockinbird.com.ng - 28/Sep 20:48

  .. directive threatens fuel availability, government revenue Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff...

Rowley challenges government – 'Reveal details of OFAC licence'

newsday.co.tt - 04:02

Former prime minister Dr Rowley has challenged Government to reveal details of the six-month OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) licence it was...

Les derniers communiqués

  • Aucun élément