How to prevent Fire Outbreak in Cooking Gas (LPG) Stations during the Harmattan Season

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  • Author: Muyiwa Ige(LPG Stakeholder and Consultant)

Any Cooking Gas Skid or Standard Plant that does not want to go up in flames, must be in a state of preparedness and put up adequate fire preventive measures in all seasons.

But during the harmattan season in Nigeria, which is characterized by very dry winds blowing all the way from the Sahara desert, the state of preparedness of an LPG Plant which stores and dispenses very flammable fluid(butane/propane), must be heightened.

This is because the very low humidity that prevails during harmattan, makes it very easy for a fire to start and propagate quickly, within a very short period of time.

The following actions/measures must be taken to prevent fire incidents in Cooking Gas stations during the harmattan season.

Use Quality Electrical Cables

Ensure that the electrical cables used in supplying power to the LPG Pump’s electric motor, is of superior quality.

This is because inferior quality electric cables can melt during use and ignite gas vapor, if there’s a small gas leak in the pump house.

 

Inspect LPG Tank and Piping for Leakage

Your LPG tank must be inspected regularly for leaks.

 

Particular attention should be paid to the manhole cover gasket area, Pressure Relief Valve, Pressure Gauge, Roto/Liquid Level Gauge threading, and the threaded areas of other tank fittings should also be inspected for gas leakage.

 

The LPG Plant’s piping, as well as, the flanges and ball valve body and gasket areas, should be regularly checked for gas leaks.

 

Corroded piping and well-used/expired ball valves, should be promptly changed.

 

      Cooking, Refuse Burning and Smoking

Cooking should be avoided within the premises of an LPG plant.

Burning of refuse, as well as cigarette/weed smoking, must also be avoided within the premises of the Cooking Gas station.

 

      Overfilling of the LPG tank

The LPG plant’s personnel must be on ground and exercise vigilance to monitor the plant’s LPG tank during the discharge of gas into it.

The discharge of gas into the tank must be stopped immediately the tank’s volume reaches the 90% maximum filling level.

Allowing the LPG tank’s Pressure Relief Valve to pop open - which happens when the tank is overfilled, is a recipe for disaster during the harmattan season.

 

      Clear and Clean Environment

Bushes around and within the LPG Refilling Plant must be cleared to avoid fire outbreak, if any source of ignition mistakenly comes in contact with the dry bush.

 

All dry trees should be cut down and evacuated from the LPG Plant’s premises. Firewood and planks should not be kept within the LPG Plant.

 

      Power Generator Management

Keeping an old/substandard power generator running for several hours can lead to the melting of its coil, which can make it go up in flames. If cooking gas vapor finds its way into the generator house when this happens, a fire outbreak is inevitable.

For this reason, a Power Generator House should not be sited close to the filling gantry or LPG tank.

Fire-fighting equipment such as CO2 and Fire Extinguishers and Fire Hydrant Hose, should be kept close to the Power Generator House.

            Naked Wires

All wiring work in the LPG Plant’s pump house, Filling Gantry, Administrative Building, Security House, LPG Dispenser and the lightening around the premises, must be properly insulated.

 

      Thunder/Lightening Arrestor

A good Thunder/Lightening Arresting system must be installed at the LPG Plant to prevent fire outbreaks emanating from lightning and thunder strikes.

 

       Electrical Device and Gadget Management

Electrical gadgets, such as Air Conditioners must be switched off when personnel are not in the office and at night. All other electrical gadgets and switches, must be switched off when not in use.

This is because these gadgets can go up in flames during electrical power surges and result in fire incidents that can raze down the whole gas plant.

 

       Vehicle and Motorcycle Exhaust Pipe

Motorbike and Vehicle exhaust pipes when hot, can ignite gas vapor. For this reason, vehicles and motorcycles must not be allowed close to the filling gantry or LPG discharge areas.