Whether you’re a gas supplier or you use LPG to power your gas appliances, many workplaces across the country rely on Liquified Petroleum Gas. This gas is recognised as a Class 2.1 Flammable Gas, and therefore must be stored and located in such a way as to reduce risk. In this blog, we’ll be answering the question, ‘What are the LPG gas bottle location regulations’ by referencing the relevant Australian Standard AS 4332 - The storage and handling of gases in cylinders. We’ll also be explaining the best LPG gas bottle locations, as well as the segregation and separation requirements — along with the additional precautions for flammable gases.
When we refer to regulations, we aren’t just talking about the Model Work Health and Safety Regulations. Regulations is a collective term that we use to include all current legislation, Codes of Practice and the Australian Standards.
These regulations govern the way gas cylinders must be stored in workplaces across Australia.
LPG gas bottle location regulations are essential due to the many risks associated with LP gas. Without a proper control of these risks, staff, your organisation and the wider community may be presented with a serious chemical hazard.
These LPG risks include:
There are multiple risk to people, property and the environment when dealing with LP gas bottles in the workplace.
Deciding where to position your gas bottles is part of your compliance and safety responsibilities.
In the Australian Standard AS 4332:2004, we can find a detailed explanation of the requirements that relate to the construction of gas bottle stores.
In Section 4.2.1, the Standard states that:
The indoor storage of gas cylinders shall be avoided wherever possible.
To effectively reduce the risks associated with LP gas, cylinders should NOT be stored indoors.
As a dense and flammable gas, LPG can spark a fire or explosion if it meets an ignition source.
This is because LPG is denser than air, so indoor storage can be particularly dangerous due to gas leaks. Leaks can occur when LPG gas cylinders have faulty valves, they have been left on or they are knocked over and damaged. Because the dense gas can quickly accumulate in low lying areas, outdoor gas cylinder stores are the preferred storage method.
To reduce the risks associated with the storage of gas bottles, you should consider the following points when identifying a suitable location for your store:
IMPORTANT: If it is not possible to locate gas cylinders stores away from vehicles, you must install bollards or crash barriers to your gas bottle cage. This extra measure will effectively minimise the risk of cylinders being hit by vehicles at your site.
Once you have identified, selected and prepared the site for your gas cylinder store, you can then install a suitable gas bottle cage.
Your cage should be designed and constructed to conform with the requirements of the Australian Standards. This includes the key controls of natural ventilation as well as cylinder restraints or safety straps.
Installing an outdoor gas bottle cage can reduce the impact of gas leaks and decrease the likelihood of flammable gas ignition.
Compliant gas bottle cages are available in a range of sizes to accommodate bottles ranging from 9kg to 90kg.
Features to control risk may include:
According to AS 4332:2004, Class 2.1 Flammable Gases like LPG must be segregated by at least 3 metres from:
Apart from their physical placement, safe segregation of gases can also be achieved by using screen walls.
These screen walls must be:
Separation and segregation distances can vary depending on the quantity of LPG you store, as well as the other dangerous goods and hazardous chemicals used onsite.
Like to learn more about dangerous goods segregation?
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Remember, empty cylinders still pose a risk. Empty gas bottles still contain small amounts of flammable gas. Therefore, you’ll need separate cylinder stores for your empties, and they’ll need to be segregated properly too.
Any empty bottles must be separated from full cylinders, then stored and handled in the same way as if they were full.
Cylinder stores for LPG and other flammable gases have additional precautions and requirements under the Standard.
These include:
LPG is extremely flammable so it’s especially important to think about your site operations and the types of activities and where they could possibly take place.
Are there any outdoor repairs that involve cutting or grinding tools that create sparks? Does your workplace have an outdoor spray painting area that uses aerosol cans (that generate static electricity)?
Even workers removing PPE or using fire extinguishers can create static electricity. Again, the careful consideration of the location of your LPG cylinder store is essential in maintaining compliance and safety.
Make sure that your gas bottle store location is well away from these work activities.
REMEMBER: In the event of a fire, flammable gases such as LPG will only feed the fire and increase risk to your organisation and community. The cylinders can rupture catastrophically and become projectiles. They also could be knocked over by the pressure of water from a hydrant or monitor. Take these facts into consideration when selecting the location of your LPG cylinder store.
If you use and store LPG cylinders at your worksite and are unclear on your legal obligations, why not download our free eBook? Gas Cylinder Storage: Compliance and Safety Requirements presents the requirements of AS 4332 in clear, easy-to-read text. It also uses real world examples of workplace incidents and accidents involving gas cylinders to help you understand the fundamentals of safe gas bottle storage. Download our gas cylinder storage eBook today by clicking on the image below.