Gas Safety At Home

Gas Safety At Home: Risk Management

Guest post

Natural gas has a variety of uses from cooking and heating, to power generation, manufacturing, and transport. In addition, other forms of gas like petrol, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), and diesel, are also used on a day-to-day basis. Most people use gas daily in many ways. Hence, the chances are that anyone who uses gas appliances has safety concerns in the back of their mind. Who has not at some point left the gas stove on for slightly too long, and then worried about safety? Instead of just worrying, make sure that you are aware of safety procedures and have every member of your family following them. In Victoria, the regulator is Energy Safe Victoria, so check with them to make sure the gas supplier you use is compliant with regulations, and then make sure to follow safety procedures within your own home. The very first step is safety regarding gas, is to choose gas suppliers who are licensed and able to provide reliable, safe gas to your home and help you to use gas safely within your home.

Keep Up-To-Date With Maintenance

Central heaters, gas hot water heaters, and space heaters should all be serviced every two years, to make sure everything is in working order.

When you have your appliances serviced, make sure that the licensed gasfitter who does the work, checks to make sure there are no carbon monoxide emissions, that all of the safety controls are in place, that air filters are not clogged, and that burners in your space or water heaters are not blocked.

Make Sure You Maintain and Operate Your Appliances Correctly

· Gas heaters should always be turned off when you go to sleep or leave the house

· Do not get distracted when you are in the kitchen, cooking

· Do not tamper with safety valves

· Keep your grill, oven, and rangehood clean in order to avoid build-up and reduce the risk of fire

· Never use aerosols or pour petrol near gas appliances

· Be aware of where you store flammable materials, making sure to keep them away from gas appliances or gas storage

Gas Risks and Safety At Home

At home, we do everything we can to stay safe and minimize risks, in order to protect our families and ourselves. Still, the possibility for common problems like gas leaks, still exist and we should know what to do if in the event of such an incident. If you think you have a gas leak in your home, do the following:

· Immediately extinguish any fires, flames, or cigarettes

· Open doors and windows to avoid gas build up

· Do not use any electrical appliances or anything that could create sparks

· Turn off all of your gas appliances

· Check to be sure that the pilot light is out

· Leave your home and go outside

· Contact the gas supply company

· Turn off the main gas tap

Minimize Risks by Choosing Licensed Gasfitters to Do Repairs or Renovations

These are things that you can do to stay safe. Always be aware of your actions when you are using gas appliances, make sure to not get distracted and leave the gas on. Know what to do if a leak happens.

Also, make sure that you are choosing a licensed gasfitter whenever you have any renovations, repairs, or installations regarding gas work done. This may include instances where you have larger installations like hot water systems, or it may be smaller- scale work that involved any disconnection and reconnection of gas appliances. Workers, like plumbers, who often do gas work, should be licensed gasfitters. To be sure, ask for their identification card. If you choose a licensed gasfitter, you can be assured that they have undergone the proper training to do the important work they are doing. In addition, licensed gasfitters will have insurance that guarantees the work that they do. And once the work is completed, you should receive a Compliance Certificate. Your Compliance Certificate ensures that if any issues arise, your gasfitter will return to take care of any issues.

If you make sure to reduce your risks by choosing gas suppliers who can help to maintain and safety within your home and with your gas supply. If you take all of the necessary precautions, you can minimize the risks of ever experiencing a gas incident. Knowing proper procedures, who to call to maintain your appliances, and where to find the best safe, reliable gas suppliers will help to put your mind at ease and help you to know that you are doing everything you can to keep your home and your family safe. Make sure that you and everyone in your family knows how to be safe around the gas supplies and how to handle an emergency.

Theresa Stanton is a freelance writer and editor who enjoys researching and writing articles that inform consumers of more ways to stay safe at home, minimize risk and make great safe energy decisions regarding gas suppliers.

Image Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11629603@N04/5909569119/sizes/m/in/photostream/