Navgas canvass for safety measures in LPG operations

Due to the incessant occurrence of leakages from LPG cylinder trucks as a result of non functional or absence of Emergency Shutoff Valve, Nigeria’s premier Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) company, Navgas has unveiled ‘Driving Safety Forward’, an initiative of to reduce accidents that can lead to the destruction of lives and equipment as a result of leakages in LPG trucks.

The initiative is to drive the use of Emergency Shutoff Valve, a piece of safety equipment designed to stop the uncontrolled flow of LPG in a dangerous event. It provides protection against possible harm to people, equipments and the environment. I can be the difference between a minor incident and a disaster. The absence of the Emergency Shutoff Valve in an LPG truck is a disaster waiting to happen.

Stakeholders at the event unanimously agreed that trucks should be properly checked to ensure it has a functional Emergency Shutoff Valve.

Navgas and all stakeholders in the industry have set January 2016 as deadline for any trucks presented without a functional Emergency Shutoff Valve will not be permitted to load at Navgas terminal.

Speaking at the unveiling of the initiative, Renato Awani, the Chairman of Navgas admonished that the programmed is aimed to avoid unexplainable occurrences and accidents in loading of LPG products.

“The LPG downstream sector has gone through a lot in the last half a decade with a significant achievement, currently at over 300,000 metric tons and 300 trucks in operation. Managing these achievements, we also need to protect them and in protecting them, we introduced this programme, not to be seen as an enforcement but a change, at a time like this we had too many accidents, unexplainable mysterious occurrences in the sector, it’s time standard are synchronised to enhance the industry, protect and consolidate on these achievements.”

Navgas managing director, Ian Brown, added that the major incident that occurred October 2014, at Navgas terminal where an LPG cylinder truck leaked as a result of non fictional Emergency Shutoff Valve lead to the ‘Driving Safety Forward’ initiative. Incidents that almost lead to the destructions of lives and equipments could have been avoided if proper driving safety rules are followed.

“Every LPG trucks that need to load at any terminal in the world over the last twenty to thirty years, have a working Emergency Shutoff Valve. In the last one year, we have been visiting various government agencies and stakeholders in the downstream sector on need for the emergency shutdown system on all LPG trucks.”

At the event, Brown launched a guideline book to enhance good practices of LPG trucks management and advised all stakeholders to read and follow the instructions on the book.

“We will like everybody who is an operator to read and practice the LPG Bulk Road Tanker Management guidelines for safety and good business practice in the gas sector.”