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Gas safety

General Gas Safety

There are two types of gas used in the home - natural gas, which is reticulated through a pipeline system, and LPG which can be through a pipeline system or cylinder.

Both gases are used widely for cooking and heating and should be treated with the same respect for potential safety concerns as electricity.

Natural gas and LP gas are colourless and odourless. An odorant is actually added to give these gases a distinctive smell.  This odour ensures that leaks are easier to detect if and when they arise.

Neither natural gas nor LPG is poisonous or toxic, but if an area becomes filled with gas, it can cause nausea and dizziness due to lack of oxygen. In extreme cases it can result in asphyxiation.

If you smell a gas odour:

  • Don't panic
  • Open doors and windows
  • Don't light a match, candle or cigarette
  • Don't turn electrical appliances or lights on or off
  • Check your gas appliances are turned off and if this does not resolve the problem, call your gas distributor.

The department has a number of brochures available regarding gas safety.

Please contact your local Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate Office if you would like hard copies.

Transporting gas cylinders

It is important that gas cylinders are transported in vehicles safely.  An information sheet is available on the basic rules and requirements for doing this.

These requirements arise from the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Regulation 2004 and the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995, Transport Operations (Road Use management - Dangerous Goods) Regulation 1998 and the sixth Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road or Rail, 1998.

Sidek Safety Relief Valves

Some Sidek brand PRX safety relief valves supplied between September 2001 and August 2005 do not operate correctly and could result in a dangerous situation.  For more information go to the gas fuelled engines pages.

Safety Alerts

Safety Alerts are issued from time to time on particular gas related issues.

Links to other sites

There are a number of good sites with more detailed information on gas safety.

 

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Last Updated 28 September 2009