National SAFE-T campaign launched for LPG heaters

NEWS RELEASE 20 May, 2004

National SAFE-T campaign launched for LPG heaters

The LPG industry has launched a national consumer education campaign to promote SAFE-T messages to the owners of the country's LPG cabinet heaters.

LPG Association executive director, Peter Gilbert, said 400,000 brightly coloured SAFE-T swing tags will be attached to all 9kg and 4.5kg LPG cylinders that are refilled in coming months at service stations and other LPG suppliers.

The highly visible SAFE-T swing tags carry the following simple, but important, reminders for cylinder and heater owners:
Service your LPG heater each year. This is like getting a warrant of fitness (WoF) for your appliance.
Air your room – keep it well ventilated when using your LPG heater.
Fumes – turn off your heater immediately if you smell gas.
Extra space – keep your LPG heater at least one metre from anything that could catch fire.
Test your LPG heater and cylinder connections often to ensure there are no gas leaks.

The swing tags also instruct heater owners never to change or fit new connections to the cylinder valve. This work should only be undertaken by a certified service agent.

The SAFE-T swing tag campaign is one of the consumer education initiatives the LPGA runs regularly to ensure LPG customers maximise the efficiency of their appliances and minimise the risk of accidents.

"Accidents involving the country's 450,000 LPG cabinet heaters are very rare," Mr Gilbert said. "However, owners must still take sensible precautions, and we need to keep reminding them to do so."

The LPGA is running the SAFE-T campaign in conjunction with the Energy Safety Service of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

ENDS

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