Checking the gas cylinder
Companies that fill gas cylinders must check and label gas cylinders before they are sold to you as a consumer.
Below you can see what you can expect from the filling station and how you can see if your propane cylinder is approved.
Requirements for competence
Not just anyone can fill and sell gas cylinders. The job requires the necessary expertise and must be done at facilities designed for filling propane cylinders. Self-service is not permitted. There are strict requirements for what must be checked before and after each filling. After filling, the cylinders must be properly labeled. In addition, there are requirements for periodic inspection, which is an even more thorough check of the condition of the bottle. All these requirements are in place to ensure that you as a consumer can buy and use gas safely.
Correct labeling
Gas cylinders containing propane must be labeled with the name of the company that filled the cylinder and that the cylinder was inspected before filling. This marking must withstand normal wear and tear.
The propane cylinder must also be marked with the date of the next periodic inspection. Periodic inspection is carried out by a designated inspection body and is a thorough review of the condition of the cylinder to check that it is safe to use for a new period. Periodic inspection is in addition to the regular inspection to be carried out before and after filling. If a cylinder is not marked with the date of the next periodic inspection, the staff at the filling plant must be able to answer when the cylinder is due for such an inspection. All new gas cylinders must also be marked with the symbol π. This symbol is a confirmation from the manufacturer that the cylinder complies with European regulations and can be freely sold within the EEA.
Filling of gas cylinders
It is not permitted to fill cylinders that are damaged, defective or overdue for periodic inspection. All steel cylinders and most composite cylinders on the Norwegian market must undergo periodic inspection every 10 years. However, there may be composite cylinders on the market with a shorter periodic inspection interval than 10 years.
The bottles must be marked with the date of the next periodic inspection. However, DSB is aware that many of the cylinders on the Norwegian market are only marked with the date of the previous periodic inspection. For cylinders marked with the date of the previous periodic inspection, the consumer can in most cases expect the next periodic inspection to be carried out ten years after the date of the last inspection.
The companies that fill the cylinders are responsible for ensuring that cylinders that are overdue for periodic inspection are not filled. Before filling, it must also be checked that the filling valve, safety valve and gasket are intact. When the cylinder is filled, it must be checked that the cylinder is not overfilled, that it is not leaking and that it has the necessary labeling and identification.
Handing in gas cylinders
Businesses that fill or sell propane gas cylinders are obliged to accept cylinders from consumers that cannot be filled, or that you wish to return for other reasons. This means that these businesses are also obliged to accept cylinders that are overdue for periodic inspection.
Consumers do not have to pay to return the bottle. Companies have no obligation to replace bottles that cannot be filled. This means that if you have a bottle that is overdue for a periodic inspection, you cannot, on the basis of the regulations, demand a new bottle back free of charge.
When filling propane cylinders, the business must
- inspect the bottle for damage
- ensure that the filling valve, safety valve and gasket are intact
- check that the bottles are not overdue for periodic inspection
- label the bottles so that they can be traced back to the filling point
- make sure the bottle is not overfilled
- check that the bottle is not leaking
- check that the bottle has the required labeling
Source: sikkerhverdag.no | www.dsb.no