In the last few years, the use of gas cylinders has become more prevalent in homes, restaurants, event centres, food processing facilities, and so on. This isn’t out of place due to the various advantages associated with the use of gas.
With the vast use of gas, comes also several cases of loss of lives and properties as a result of gas leakages. An example of this was the gas explosion which claimed a life in the Orile Igamu axis of Lagos State.
In order to avoid the loss of lives and properties, below are safety precautions to observe during gas leakages.
1. Avoid panicking
The chances of having cases of gas leakages can not really be eliminated, thus whenever there is a case of gas leakage, one of the safety precautions to observe is to avoid panicking.
It’s normal to be scared for one’s life during such situations. But allowing fear to get a better part of you might make you rash decisions that may aggravate the situation or put you at great risk.
2. Move out of such environment
To ensure the safety of lives during cases of gas leakage either at home, laboratories, restaurants or gas stations, every occupant or person in such area must find a means of moving out of the place immediately.
For no reason should anyone be allowed in until the area is declared safe by the agencies in charge?
3. Notify agencies in charge
In the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is an authority on such matters and different states in the country also have agencies charged with such matters. For instance, Lagos State has the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to respond to such cases.
So, whenever there is a case of gas leakage, a safety precaution to observe is to notify the agencies in charge as soon as possible.
4. Eliminate sources of ignition
Another safety precaution to observe during gas leakage is to eliminate any source of ignition such as matches, lighters, operating electrical switches or devices, and so on.
If possible all source of electricity supply within that area should be disconnected from a great distance from the scene of the incident.
5. No use of smartphones
The use of smartphones or other electronic devices in an area where a gas leakage has occurred will increase the risk of having an explosion.
Thus, smartphones or other electronic devices should not be operated within the vicinity of such occurrence.
6. Ventilation
Proper ventilation should be allowed in a vicinity where gas leakage has occurred.
All windows, doors and other sources of ventilation into the building or area should be left wide open. This will help reduce the risk of having an explosion.
7. Security agencies should investigate the vicinity
To guarantee safety in case of gas leakages, security agencies should also investigate other buildings in the immediate area and check the surrounding neighbourhood for escaping gas.
Citizens in the neighbourhood should also be notified of the incident in order to eliminate the risk of having an explosion as a result of the activities of other citizens such as cooking.
Prevention is said to be better than cure, it is best to prevent gas leakages in our environment as much as we can and in cases of gas leakage, your safety and that of others should be of paramount value.
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