|
STATISTICS show that substandard liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) cylinders are among the causes of fire incidents
in the country. From 2000 to July 2005, the Bureau of
Fire Protection (BFP) of the Department of the Interior
and Local Government (DILG) recorded a total of 51,295
fire incidents wherein 1,276 or 2.5 percent were
LPG-related.
According to the LPG industry, liquefied petroleum gas
forms a flammable mixture with air in concentrations of
between 2 percent and 10 percent and can, therefore, be
a fire and explosion hazard if stored or used
incorrectly. An 11-kg LPG tank commonly used at home has
the destructive ability of ten grenades.
As LPG
consumption increases with more and more consumers using
it for their everyday fuel needs, so does the importance
of continuously raising awareness on the potential risks
involved with this product.
With
such threat to life, property and health, the government
has stepped up measures in regulating the LPG industry
to ensure the safety of consumers.
The
Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Product
Standards (DTI-BPS) led the development of the
Philippine National Standard (PNS) on LPG cylinders
which have three parts:
PNS
03:2000 (Part 1: Specification) specifies requirements
for the material, design, construction, workmanship,
testing and markings of steel cylinders.
PNS
03:2000 (Part 2: Method of Requalification) requires
that all cylinders, including those apparently
undamaged, must be subjected to periodic
“requalification”—a procedure by which a cylinder is
inspected and retested to determine its acceptability
for continuous service. Condemned cylinders (those that
did not pass the required tests and cannot be repaired)
are cut diagonally or crushed.
PNS
03:2000 (Part 3: Requirements for Repair) prescribes the
requirements for repair of LPG cylinders as specified in
Parts 1 and 2. Repair is defined as the removal and
replacement of parts or attachments of LPG cylinders and
other corrective measures.
The
DTI-BPS regulates the said product as it declares the
above-mentioned PNS as mandatory. This means that all
LPG cylinders for trade within the country should comply
with these requirements.
Through
its Product Certification Scheme, the DTI-BPS requires
all manufacturers, importers and distributors of LPG
cylinders to have their products tested at the BPS
Testing Center or at any BPS-accredited or recognized
laboratory prior to sale or distribution.
The
cylinders undergo a series of tests according to PNS
03:2000, among which are hydraulic burst test (checks
the strength capacity of the cylinder to withstand a
volume of liquid or gas higher than its maximum
capacity), radiographic test (uses x-rays to detect
quality of welding) and gas tightness test (ensures that
the cylinder does not leak).
Only the
manufacturers and importers whose products pass the
requirements of PNS 03:2000 are issued with a Philippine
Standard (PS) License and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC)
for locally made and imported tanks, respectively, and
are allowed to place their products in the market. They
are also required to affix the PS or ICC mark on their
products.
To
assure the buying public of safe and quality LPG
cylinders in the market, the DTI-BPS supplements the
monitoring and enforcement activities of the DTI’s
regional and provincial offices on establishments to
inspect if they only sell cylinders that conform to the
requirements of the standard. Those who are found
selling uncertified cylinders are penalized according to
RA 7394; or the Consumer Act; RA 4109, the Standards
Law; and the DTI Department Administrative Order 2,
Series of 2002.
Despite
efforts from the government to thwart unscrupulous
businessmen, it reminds consumers to be vigilant and do
their own inspection of LPG cylinders before accepting
them into their homes:
• Check
the body. Aside from paint, it should not bear any other
marking, etching, dents, bulges or signs of rusting. The
PS or ICC mark must be found on the collar or footring.
• The
following must also be embossed or etched on the collar
or footring: manufacturer’s name, standard used, design
pressure, test pressure, water capacity, serial number,
tare weight, date tested and country of origin. The
requalification date and requalifier’s name are painted
or permanently welded on the body.
• Check
the date of testing. All brand- new LPG cylinders
undergo tests such as the hydrostatic, mechanical and
leak tests.
• Verify
the date of requalification and the name of the company
that processed it for requalified cylinders. A brand-new
cylinder is requalified 10 years after its manufacturing
date and every five years thereafter.
• Make
sure the collar and footring are permanently welded and
stable. They must not be found attached using screws.
Meanwhile, it is also the consumers’ responsibility to
learn how to use the product safely and properly to
avoid untoward incidents that can endanger their lives
and of their loved ones; therefore, they are advised to
heed the following:
• Store
the LPG-filled cylinder in a well-ventilated area.
Never store an LPG-filled cylinder in a room without
windows.
• Open
the windows whenever an LPG leak is detected.
• Keep
LPG cylinders away from direct source of heat or
ignition and keep it in an upright position at all
times.
• Clean
the stove regularly and check conditions of the
regulator, clamp and hose.
• Keep
the LPG-filled cylinder away from children.
• Do not
throw or roll the cylinder when moving it from place to
place.
• Never
tamper with the tank valve.
* * *
Send
your feedback and queries to konsyumeratbp@gmail.com.
For in-depth information on consumer issues, listen to
Konsyumer Atbp. every Saturday, 10:00-11:30 a.m. over
dzMM 630kHz. For consumer complaints, call the DTI
Consumer Assistance Hotline 751-3330 or Text
DTI<space>complaint and send to 2920 for Globe and Smart
subscribers. |
