Propane is used widely in a number of industrial and domestic applications. Everything from forklifts to towel racks can be fuelled by propane, but not a lot of people give this type of gas enough credit'or respect, for that matter. Propane (more commonly and currently known as called LP gas) is highly flammable, and can easily be forced into a liquid state for easy storage. This makes it extremely cost-effective, but also opens up avenues for accidents to occur. There are a number of propane tank hazards that you need to be aware of if you work with this gas or have it in your home.



The first of these propane tank hazards that you need to know about is the danger of overfilling. Because propane converts so easily to a liquid state, propane tanks can easily become overfilled. This can result in a leak or a fire, and so OSHA has put in a ruling as of April 1, 2002 that all propane tanks between four and 30 pounds must be fitted with an ?OPD,? or an Overfill Protection Device. Most household propane tanks fit into this size range, so you need to go and check if your tank has one or not. Older tanks can easily be upgraded with an OPD, but it is ultimately your responsibility to see that yours is.

An OPD can help to prevent many propane tank hazards, as it is usually a better gauge of pressure than your old valve was. They also come with devices that prevent propane from being allowed to exit the cylinder if there is no device that uses propane attached to the cylinder. OPDs are typically triangular valve wheels; if you have one of these OPDs, then your propane tank is considered to be safe. If your tank does not have one of these (you can check to see if the letters ?OPD? stenciled onto the side), which means you do not have an Overfill Protection Device mounted on your propane cylinder, then your tank is not considered safe.

One of the other common propane tank hazards that OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has warned about is having a regulator outside of the protective collar surrounding the valve of a propane tank. The presence of this regulator can be deadly, according to an OSHA spokesperson; the ruling against these poorly located regulators came into place when a propane tank fell over inside a confined space, killing a worker. The regulator on the propane tank was installed outside of the collar, and when the tank fell, the collar itself actually broke the regulator off of the valve, releasing the contents of the cylinder into the confined space in which the worker was using a blowtorch.

Propane is generally safe to use on site or in the home, but there are a number of propane tank hazards that you need to be aware of in order to ensure proper safety in the work place. Apart from valve and regulator issues, proper safety gear should always be worn when working with propane. Eye protection, gloves, and proper protective clothing can save your life and your site, as well as your skin from being badly burnt. Avoiding propane tank hazards in the workplace is everybody's responsibility.