Shockingly, 25% of workplace transport injuries are a direct result of forklift truck (FLT) accidents, so it is vital that extra precautions are taken when it comes to handling FLTs. This means the same level of caution is also needed when changing or refilling an LPG gas cylinder.
Brian O’Flynn, Technical Trainer at Calor details the process of changing LPG cylinders and the importance of ensuring safety comes first when doing so.
Knowing when your LPG cylinder needs changing
Checking when your LPG gas cylinder needs changing is the first step. For those with refillable LPG cylinders on their FLTs, the contents gauge can be easily checked – this will let you know when you are about to run out of gas.
For those with a non-refillable cylinder, the easiest way to know when the cylinder needs replacing is when the forklift truck starts to lose power – this is because a non-refillable cylinder does not typically have a gauge. Another way of measuring how much gas remains is by weighing the cylinder and subtracting the tare weight of the bottle from its current weight.
Once you need to change or refill your gas cylinder, you need to ensure you have the correct PPE to hand. Not only are gas leaks potentially dangerous, but LPG in its liquid form can give you a cold burn if it makes contact with the skin.
The correct PPE to wear when refilling a forklift truck cylinder is a face shield or visor, a long-sleeved top that is preferably made from cotton, and neoprene or nitrile gloves – preferably the gauntlets. You should also wear safety boots and a hi-visibility vest.
Refilling your forklift’s gas cylinder
It is advised that bulk tanks are installed a minimum of three metres away from other buildings, property boundaries or ignition sources. So, when refuelling a refillable LPG cylinder, you should still exercise this precaution and park up to three metres away from the bulk storage tanks, apply the handbrake and turn the engine off.
There should also be adequate vehicle protection in the form of barriers or bollards to ensure no vehicles can drive into the installation. This means making sure there are no flammable objects including wooden pallets or refuse around the vicinity of the bulk storage tank.
Once you have parked up safely, you can attach the filling hose and gun from the bulk tank installation to the filler valve on the cylinder. You should check the connection on both the hose and the filler valve to make sure they are in good condition.
Now the hose and gun are connected, you can open the bleed valve that is on the refillable cylinder; there should be a small release of gas and once that has happened, you can then start conveying liquid by using the dead man switch on the installation.
When you start seeing liquid appear, which will be shown with a white jet coming out of the bleed valve, stop filling immediately and close the bleed valve. You can then depress the gun to release it and make sure the connection is depressurised. Once you’ve stowed the hose and gun away, return to the cylinder to put the filler valve cap back on.
When handling your refillable cylinder, it is also important to correctly position it when fitting the cylinder onto a forklift truck. A Calor Liquid Offtake Cylinder (LOT) cylinder is designed to give liquid propane offtake only when operating in the horizontal position. The body of the LOT cylinder is painted red and the shroud black.
When horizontally mounted LOT cylinders are used, the arrow on the base must be pointing vertically downwards with the locating peg fitted to the hole in the cylinder shroud. The cylinder must then be securely clamped.
Safely replacing a non-refillable gas cylinder
For those with a non-refillable cylinder, the precautions should remain, but the process is a little different. Start by parking up your forklift truck, applying the handbrake and closing the service valve on the cylinder before turning the engine off.
You should then wait for the forklift truck engine to completely cut out, so you can close the service valve and disconnect the cylinder in order to remove it from the back of the forklift truck.
When fitting the new cylinder on the back of the forklift truck, we advise having someone assist you to lift the new container into position.
To check that the cylinder has been fitted correctly, make sure that it is secure; on the bottom of the cylinder, there is a white arrow which will tell you if the placement is correct. The white arrow should be pointing in the down position. Once the cylinder is safely secured, you can start the engine as normal.
Other important safety precautions
Ensuring LPG cylinders are stored safely is vital. There are multiple options for LPG storage depending on a business’ requirements, including a bulk tank or gas cylinders. Regardless of which method is used, training is advised to ensure the team is confident in how to manage it safely.
LPG cylinders should be stored in accordance with Liquid Gas (Previously UKLPG) Code of Practice No. 7 ‘Storage of Full and Empty LPG Cylinders and Cartridges’.
Separation distances vary depending on the quantities of LPG being stored, however, the main requirements are: the use of a purpose-built compound cage; segregation of full and empty cylinders; and separation from flammable liquids, combustible, oxidising, corrosive, toxic materials and compressed gas cylinders.
A common concern when handling LPG is ensuring there is no leakage. Calor has an emergency line you can contact if you detect a leak in the cylinder. If it is safe to do so, the cylinder should be moved to an outside location away from any open drains, ignition sources or any combustible materials.
If there is a leak on the gas tank or any equipment connected to it, then contact our emergency line straight away and they’ll dispatch an engineer to you as soon as possible. As safety is Calor’s number one priority, we want to ensure that our customers, staff and other members of the public can all go home safe at the end of the day.
In light of this, at Calor, we offer safety awareness training for warehouse staff and those handling or around LPG gas cylinders and tanks. Please note, this article is for raising safety awareness and is not a replacement for taking FLT safety training. If you’re interested in booking Calor FLT safety training for your employees, please email us on: CETraining@calor.co.uk
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