Staying safe

Safety tips

If you can smell LPG (smells like rotten eggs) inside, or suspect there is a gas leak:

Keep flames and cigarettes out of the room and away from the area
Turn off all gas appliances – if safe to do so
Turn off the gas supply at the meter or LPG cylinder – if safe to do so
Open doors and windows
Leave electrical appliances or switches as they are – a flick on or off could cause a spark and ignite the gas
Don’t use your phone in the area
Contact a registered gas fitter to check the installation. Use a phone away from the gas leak
In an emergency, call 111
If the smell persists, go outside to a safe place away from the building.

You can use soapy water on the gas pipes or connections to find leaks. This will make growing bubbles if any gas is leaking. A spray bottle is really good for this.

Read on for more tips on keeping safe with gas.

LPG is a great form of energy. Make the most of it by using it safely. Learn more about LPG health and safety from our LPG Safety Data Sheet.

In case of emergency dial 111.

LPG appliance safety

Good ventilation is very important. If you are using an unflued portable gas heater, always keep a window or door slightly open
Never use a LPG cabinet heater in bedrooms or bathrooms. Ventilation cannot be guaranteed, no matter how big the room is
LPG can cause some natural rubber and plastics to break down, so always use hoses especially designed for LPG. In New Zealand, hoses are marked with the letters ‘LPG’ as well as other specifications – so always check
Keep the hose from your heater or BBQ gently curved to avoid kinks and damage
Sometimes gas fails to ignite properly. If that happens, turn off the supply and wait a couple of minutes, to let unburnt gas disperse before you try again
Never connect LPG to appliances that have been set up for natural gas – it could damage them

It is important to have your appliances serviced regularly to ensure they are running safely and efficiently. Get a registered gasfitter to check all your gas appliances at least once every two years.

Gas water heaters

It is important that you keep your gas water heater clean by removing dust, lint or sawdust that could block the air intakes at the bottom of the tank.

If you insulate your water heater:

Keep the insulation blanket well off the floor so it does not cut off the air supply to the pilot light
Use non-flammable insulation or commercial pipe wraps to insulate the hot water pipe that extends from the top of the hot water cylinder

LPG cylinder safety

We will always run a safety check on your 45kg cylinders when we come and swap empty cylinders for full ones, but here are some important safety tips you should follow for large and small LPG cylinders.

Always keep LPG cylinders upright – if you lie them down the safety valve will be compromised
Always secure 9kg cylinders when you are moving them in your vehicle – never let them roll around
Don’t expose cylinders to excessive heat and never leave them in a vehicle in the sun
Keep the hose from your heater or BBQ gently curved to avoid kinks and damage
Make sure your 9kg cylinder has a current test date stamped on the neck. Gas cylinders need to be certified every 10 years. Your local refilling station will show you where the test date is written
Use soapy water to check if your cylinder is leaking. If you see bubbles then there is probably a leak. Turn off the valve, move the cylinder to a ventilated area, then contact your gas supplier. NEVER USE A MATCH to find a leak
Activities that might cause a spark, such as welding or grinding, need to be done well away from LPG cylinders

Essential first aid – LPG

	First aid
Eyes	Do not delay – flood eyes gently with clean tepid water (not hot) for at least 15 minutes, or flush eyes for as long as possible with sterile saline solution Seek medical attention
Skin	Immediately bathe the area with large quantities of water (preferably tepid) for at least 15 minutes If possible, remove any clothing splashed with liquid LPG that is not sticking to the skin Place the injured person in a warm area and gradually rewarm the affected areas to normal body temperature Do not apply any form of direct heat Keep the person warm and comfortable Loosen restrictive clothing Gently cover the affected area with glad wrap or a wet (not fibrous) material, ensuring that circulation is not restricted Do no give anything to eat or drink Never leave the injured person unattended Keep contaminated clothing away from ignition sources as some gas may be given off during thawing Seek medical attention
Inhaled	Remove victim to fresh air If breathing has stopped or irregular, apply artificial respiration Seek medical attention

Identifying a leak

Use your nose – If you can smell LPG (smells like rotten eggs), check if:

• The pilot light has gone out on an appliance
• The burner on your stove has been left on accidently; and
• Open the windows and call your gasfitter

Use your ears – If you hear a hissing noise it could be gas. Turn off appliances and check it out.

Use your eyes – Can you see ice or frosting on the pipes, fittings or joints? Is there a hazy cloud around your pipes or bottles? Is your gas bill higher than usual?

Any of these things could indicate a gas leak. Click here for what to do when you suspect a leak.

How to check your 9kg bottle for leaks:

Make a weak solution of soapy water (just enough to change the water colour)
Connect your 9kg bottle to the BBQ
Turn all the burner knobs to OFF
Turn your gas bottle ON
Brush or spray the soapy solution on all the connections (where the pipe connects to the BBQ and the bottle)
If bubbles appear it means the connection isn’t properly sealed
Turn OFF the gas and tighten or fix the connections
Repeat until no bubbles appear

Safe handling

LPG is heavier than air, so it needs to be kept a safe distance away from openings and drains to prevent spillage from spreading.

Always keep bottles in an upright position away from heat sources.

Keep bottles closed when not in use.

For all emergencies	No smoking or naked flames within 50m. Move people from immediate area. Keep upwind. To contact the Fire Service, dial 111.
Leak	Carry out action for all emergencies as above. Stop flow of gas/liquid if possible. Spray water to disperse gas cloud but avoid spraying water directly on the leaking container as this may increase leakage. Prevent spillage from spreading or entering underground drains by blocking with sand or earth.
Fire	Carry out action for all emergencies as above. Only if it is safe to do so, shut off supply of gas rather than put out fire. If water is available, spray containers to keep them cool.
Disposal	Contact us on 0800 762 542.

In an emergency

If you have an LPG leak, follow these instructions until the emergency services or a technician arrive:

Turn off your LPG appliances immediately
Don’t light a match, lighter or cigarette
Don’t use any electrical appliances, mobile phones or even turn on a light as these can be ignition sources
Turn off the gas at the bottles or meter
Open all windows and doors at the property

Stopping supply

We need to keep all our customers safe so, if there is an emergency, we reserve the right to stop LPG without notice. We will only do this if customers are at risk when:

An installation, appliance or fitting is found to be unsafe during an inspection.
There is a breach of gas industry regulations. The legislation is there to protect you from danger and breaking the law can put you and others at risk.

If we spot risks, the LPG supply will be turned off or bottles removed immediately until the problem is fixed or the issue resolved, and we will keep you informed.

In case of an emergency, dial 111.

Before you dig

Our piped LPG network is laid below the surface in parts of the South Island so, for your safety, it is very important to check where your gas pipes are before you lift a shovel to:

Build a fence
Construct a building
Plant a tree
Install signage
Do any digging at all around your property

Whether you are a contractor or a member of the public, digging on private or public land, you must be aware of your responsibilities. If you are doing the work, then you are responsible for obtaining the plans.

Download Before You Dig Information Sheet

You can get a free copy of the piped LPG plan to the LPG meter for your property by emailing gasplans@rockgas.co.nz.

Auto LPG safety

Like all fuels used for vehicles, there are important safety guides to remember with LPG.

Built-in safety features

There are a number of built-in safety features in LPG fuel tanks:

They are manufactured to withstand the impact of an accident
The fuel supply is automatically shut off to the engine if the engine stops or the ignition is switched off
The manual service valve at the tank allows the system to be easily and securely turned off
If a fire occurs, the fuel tank will safely vent its contents from the safety valve to avoid any over pressure situations

What to do if you drive off with the filler nozzle attached to your vehicle

The filler hose is designed to detach safely from the dispenser, through a breakaway coupling in the hose detaching and sealing.

The coupling is located at either the top, or at the base of the dispenser.

If you do drive off:

Check for leaks
Remove the hose nozzle from your vehicle
Place the nozzle in the holder on the dispenser
Check for damage to your vehicle
DO NOT attempt to reconnect the filler nozzle breakaway coupling
Move to a safe place off-site and call our emergency helpline 0800 574 737
Follow the recorded instructions to alert our contractors
If there is an immediate danger call 111 and ask for the Fire Service

What to do in an accident or fire

If it is safe to do so, turn off the manual service valve on the fuel tank in the boot, or under the rear of the vehicle if the tank is an under floor installation
Ensure there are no ignition sources near the vehicle
Look after your own safety. Call for emergency help immediately

What to do if a vehicle gas leak occurs

Turn off the vehicle’s ignition
Turn off the manual service valve located on the fuel tank in the boot, or underneath the vehicle
Ensure there are no ignition sources near the vehicle
If the vehicle is indoors or in a poorly ventilated area, call the fire service immediately
If the leak is small and the vehicle is outdoors in a well ventilated area, call an LPG installer or motor mechanic immediately to attend to the leak
If in doubt call the fire service on 111

What to do if a site gas leak occurs

If you detect a strong smell of LPG:

Tell the service station staff straight away
If you are at an un-manned site remove yourself immediately but DO NOT move your vehicle. Call the emergency site helpline 0800 574 737 to report

Location Compliance Certificate

If you store 100kg or more of LPG on a workplace site, it is a legal requirement to have a Location Compliance Certificate or LCC (Prior to 1 December 2017 this was referred to as Location Test Certificate). For a non-workplace site, this also applies to storage of over 300kg.

If you fall under these requirements, we require a valid Location Compliance Certificate to supply LPG to you.

LCCs are issued by approved compliance certifiers who will assess your site and inform you of any changes needed to meet regulations. You can find a certifier here. Type in your location and certification type in the fields provided to find a certifier in your region.

You will also need a copy of our Safety Data Sheet which includes information about the composition of LPG. You need to have one of these to obtain your LCC.

For places other than a workplace, for LPG storage capacity of 100kg or more but less than 300kg a test certificate is not required. But these sites will need to be assessed by Rockgas to ensure they comply with the minimum criteria set down in the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017. Rockgas will then issue a compliance plaque for the site for a 3-year period. Please contact us to arrange an assessment.

Rockgas web site – Major Hazard Facility community information

LPG is a non-toxic, non-poisonous gas, but it is highly flammable. At Rockgas’ terminal located in Hillsborough, Christchurch (Rockgas Woolston), we store large quantities of LPG, which we use to fill cylinders and trucks for delivery to our customers. We also supply an underground network of LPG pipelines directly to customers. The terminal is classified as an upper tier Major Hazard Facility under the Health and Safety at Work (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulations 2016. This means we must ensure that we have the right safety, operating and maintenance systems in place to ensure we keep any risk of a major incident occurring as low as reasonably practicable.

To do this, we have developed a safety case which comprehensively documents our ability to manage and control any major incident effectively, and includes a summary of our safety assessments, safety management system and emergency plans. These are submitted to WorkSafe for approval, and refreshed and reviewed at least every five years.

Safety assessment

The main risk to the public from our site is from an uncontrolled release of LPG, which could catch fire if it reaches an ignition source. Uncontrolled releases could come from our storage tanks, road tankers and cylinders. However, the probability of this risk occurring is extremely low as our tanks and facilities are designed to be impact and fire resistant and most of our storage is underground. Fire detection systems, emergency shutdown systems and firefighting systems all provide additional protection. In addition, all electrical circuits on our sites have been specifically chosen to ensure they don’t create an ignition source. All safety systems (including fire and shutdown sirens) are tested regularly.

For more information on the composition of LPG, please review our Safety Data Sheet

Safety Management System

Our Safety Management System is the primary means by which we ensure our safe operation and it provides the link between systems and controls. It contains things such as policy and procedures, organisation and personnel, performance monitoring, audits and reviews.

Emergency plans

Following an uncontrolled release such as those identified in the safety assessments, a fire siren will sound and the site will automatically shut down. Fire and Emergency will automatically be called out to help manage the release, and to ensure they are in place should a fire occur. The release may take the form of a visible cloud travelling at wind speed.Water sprays may activate to disperse the cloud.

Immediate neighbours will be notified directly by Rockgas staff via telephone in an emergency. Neighbours that are slightly further away may be contacted by either Rockgas, FENZ or the Police if the situation escalates and has the potential for effects further from the site.

On hearing the siren, people in neighbouring properties should shelter indoors, unless they are contacted and told differently. In this instance, they will be told what action to take, which is most likely to involve moving further away from the potential effects. This will depend on a number of factors such as distance from the site, the type of incident that has occurred and the wind direction and weather conditions at the time. People should only use the contact numbers during an emergency if they anticipate difficulties in evacuating should this become necessary.

Site Information and contacts:

Facility Operator
Gas Services New Zealand Ltd, trading as Rockgas

Site Address
Caerphilly Place, Hillsborough, Christchurch

Site Contact
Todd Robertson
Site Manager
Todd.Robertson@Rockgas.co.nz

General Enquiries 0800 574 427

Emergency help line 0800 57 47 37