A ticking bomb in kitchen? Check your gas cylinder

As the new regulations for gas cylinders take effect, authorities warn consumers to ensure the cylinders are safe, valid and in compliance with specified standards. In case a consumer is using an old, dented gas cylinder, then be warned he has a bomb waiting to explode, warned a senior official at Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma). Esma issued new gas cylinder safety regulations last year, which came into effect earlier this year. "How often we ignore safety regulations, or don't even bother to know what the regulations are, which lead to loss of life. What we think to be minor [issue] is most often life threatening, that is why we are warning domestic consumers to make sure their cylinders are safe," said Mohammad Saleh Badri, Acting Director General of Esma, seeking attention of consumers. The Esma regulations, which are applicable across the country, cover manufacturing, filling/refilling, handling and safety as well as metrology aspects. "We have set high standards of manufacturing to ensure that cylinders are durable and safe, there are specifications for filling and refilling as well as handling and safety," he said. He said the implementation of safety standards will be done by local municipalities, civil defence authorities as well as the police. The regulations specify different colours for domestic cylinders supplied in different emirates, while all other standards are same across the country. According to the new regulations, the life span of a gas cylinder is five years, but it could be extended for another five years provided it passes Esma's pressure test. A cylinder can have a maximum of two extentions of five years. The vehicles transporting the cylinders should be painted with the specified colour and should have warning messages on its body. Consumers should check on the cylinders a tag that clearly mentions the size, weight and date of manufacture of the cylinder. The date of manufacture and retest date could be found at the bottom of the cylinder. To make sure safety standards are practised, Emirates Gas, in association with Dubai Municipality and Dubai Civil Defence, is carrying out an awareness campaign. For any complaints consumers can contact respective municipalities -    Dubai: 800900 -    Abu Dhabi: 80022220 -    Sharjah: 06-5623333