Gas Company and Causes of Burns [Archives:2000/39/Reportage]
By Saif Al-Sahbani
Many incidents resulting from misuse of gas cylinders have been reported recently. Such incidents have been attributed to absence of RSH/lmercaptan, that causes the distinguished smell upon filling the cylinders or leakage. Leakage of gas can not then be felt in the absence of such a smell that helps warn users against leakage. Fingers have been pointed at the Gas Company, supposed to supervise filling stations.
Mr. Mutahar Ishaq in response to a question on burns cases received in the Al-Jomhoury in 1999 said: Burns department was closed in the past. Instead, there used to be an outpatient clinic receiving light injuries. The burns center was established in January 2000 at the directives of the Minister of Health following the explosion of stored dynamite in Otmah district in Dhamar. At the time, 13 of 20 casualties were brought here. Until July 2000, a few casualties were brought and the center was about to close again. However, orders were issued to carry on and we have heard that a French team specialized in burns was to arrive in the near future. All in all, we receive about 20 cases every month.
About causes of burns he said that about 50% of the cases registered by the hospital had resulted from leakage of gas which was difficult to recognize without the RSH lmercaptan. Benzene and kerosene comes second by 30% followed by hot substances which cause about 10% of burn cases. The remainder 10% is caused by various reasons such as electricity, matches, revenge, children carelessness, he said.
The above are cases reported from the inpatient ward. As far as outpatient clinic is concerned, Mutaher said that about 80% of cases received were casualties among children who were usually burnt by hot liquids.
On the other hand, attempts to commit suicide or starting fires are the main causes of benzene and kerosene burns cases in his opinion.
Out of the 20 casualties arriving at the hospital since January 2000, 2 deaths have been recorded. Besides, anomalies have reached 80% during the same period.
He suggested the following to prevent such accidents:
1- Supervising gas filling stations to make sure that they add RSH/Mercaptan without which the gas has no smell.
2- Media, societies, schools, etc. should help illustrate correct and safe handling of gas cylinders.
3- Establishing a specialized center for burns treatment.
4- Training Yemeni cadres on treatment of burns.
There are 12 patients being hospitalized in the inpatient ward. A lady has died owing to severe injuries by gas (Intentional by her husband.), he said. Unfortunately we are in need of a qualified cadre to carry out plastic surgeries and about 95% of the operations done by local cadre has been a failure, he added.
Corruption and Bribes
I did not expect that quiet man to have had two tragic incidents at the same time. I approached him and came to know that he was Major Aidarous Mohammed Ahmad Al-Haj, 39 years old, working at the Ministry of Interior. He said that his wife, Najat Ali Al-Misri, 30, was seriously injured in her face, chest, hands and parts of her legs. Moreover, she gave birth to twin brothers who died on the second day of delivery. My child, Jameel, one year old, was also injured in his face, hands and part of his body, he added.
Mr. Aidarous said that he had the right to sue the authorities concerned which used a new drug called (mebo) for his wifes burns which as he said worsened her health. He added that mebo was used as an experiment and that he would sue him who gave orders and who used it to cure his wife, as well as the company manufacturing or importing it. I have also the right to file a case against the Gas Company for not adding the RSH/Mercaptan which could have warned us against the leakage.
Beauty Murdered in Al-Haimah
Gas leakage is not necessarily caused by technical mistakes, misuse of gas cylinder may be more dangerous. At the burns department in Al-Jumhoury Hospital we came to know the tragic story of Ali Mothana Al-Bouni, 50 years old whose kitchen completely turned into ashes owing to misuse of the gas cylinder. His 13-year old daughter did not properly shut the valve of the cylinder when leaving the kitchen in their village in Al-Haimah. The lantern was also left lit over there. As the fire broke out, all family members: the father, his son Allao, 20 and his daughter Nabilah, 19, rushed to the kitchen in an attempt to put the fire out. All were subject to different injuries that could have endangered the future of the young daughter whose face was seriously injured.
Benzene is also here.
Mohammed Fadhl, 20, a mechanician was injured at work when a bucket full of benzene caught fire as a result of a cigarette lit by another person. His brother accompanying him said that his brother was injured in his hands, legs and back. He added that he was getting better and he advised people not to light fire near benzene.
Role of the Gas Company
In our visit to the Gas Company we met Mr. Lutf Abdullah Al-Thawr, Vice Executive Chairman of the Yemeni Gas Company who said: weight of cylinders of liquid gas ranges between 13-16 Kg according to gas origin. This may explain the different volume of liquid bottled in each cylinder because the capacity of cylinders is the same and weight of a cylinder with gas is always 26 Kg according to international standards. Different proportions of propane and Butane in the liquid gas affect the temperature volume. For example, proportion of propane is higher than that of Butane in the gas produced in Safer area while the case is quite the opposite in gas produced in Aden Refinery. All this causes the consumption of gas in a short period.
Secondly, the RSH/Mercaptan is added in the central station at Safer. For every 20 ton tanker 1000 cc is added and this is double what is specified in the international standards. Adding the RSH/Mercaptan is supervised by the Yemen Hunt and Yemen Gas companies. RSH/Mercaptan is also subject to examinations when imported.
Thirdly, the average age of a cylinder of liquid gas is 10 years which might increase or decrease according to ways of use. Damaged cylinders are returned to the YGC for maintenance.
On the subject of the new regulations for running filling stations he said that the main things were the need to such stations, size of population and good location. We also take into consideration the technical conditions, safety measures, availability of good roads for tankers, financial condition of the owner, his past experience in the same field and the economic feasibility of the station, said Mr. Lutf. In this context I would like to add that licenses for filling stations have been stopped for ten years at the directives of the cabinet until a new study on the real need of such stations is made. So far there are 51 stations, he added.
As far as conditions for exhibition of gas cylinders, he said that there must be a real need to it, a good location surrounded by a yard to load and unload cylinders. The location must be away from population concentration and from any ovens and welding workshops, the ground must be covered by inflammable materials, enough and good ventilation must be available, smoking must be forbidden, at least two extinguishers must be there and way of arranging cylinders must enable easy access to them, he said.
He added that safety measures were supervised by technical teams visiting exhibitions.
Violations
Unfortunately, in our visits to gas cylinder stations we have found that about 90% of them did not abide by the conditions mentioned above.
Ameen Omar, 21, runs an exhibition for gas cylinders in Al-Raqas street. He said that he had never received any complaints about absence of smell or filling. Although the exhibition occupies a very important position in a very crowded area, most of the conditions are not fulfilled.
In another exhibition in street no 20 we met Mohammed Abdu, 19, who repeated the same, saying that no such complaints have been received. As far as the condition of the exhibition is concerned we noticed the following:
1- The size was 4×5 m with one main entrance which is the door.
2- No extinguishers were available
3- Cylinders are arranged in three layers
4- The exhibition is in a very crowded area
5- There is no yard.
Engineer Ahmad Ahmad Al-Bashi of the Yemen Organization for Standardization Metrology and Quality Control said that the organization coordinated with Ministry of Oil and YGC to conduct a number of field visits to cylinder factories in Sanaa and Aden and take samples of the raw material used in manufacturing gas cylinders besides some cylinders in their final stages for tests. Results of tests showed a number of technical defects, he said. We immediately informed factories about them and we have already noticed that production has been improved, he added.
Authorities concerned are still holding meetings to outline national specifications for manufacturing gas cylinders. He added that the Organization suggested expiry duration of cylinders be between 5-7 years owing to misuse. He also demanded getting rid of all damaged cylinders and prevention of smuggled cylinders into the country.
Mr. Mahmoud Al-Naqeeb, chairman of the media committee in the Yemen Society to Protect the Consumer said that the society had sent a memorandum to Minister of Industry following a number of complaints from consumers about absence of RSH/Mercaptan.
Gas cylinders must be tested in filling stations which also should change the damaged ones, said Taha Al-Dhabab of the Yemen Central Bank. Mr. Abdul Qawi Al-Shamiry, advocate, suggests an integrated role between the YGC and media to show people how to use cylinders safely.
Gas in Numbers
Number of Gas Cylinders factories2
capacity of the two factories per year700000 cylinders.
Number of cylinders available in the Republic12000000
The average age of a cylinder10 years
Number of cylinders needed for the local
market in the coming years per year400000
Current needed cylinders200000
Net weight of a cylinder16:13 kg
The net weight specified by
the YGC for factories15 KG
Volume of liquid gas used in 1999450,000 ton
Number of gas tankers320
Number of filling stations51
Weight of a cylinder when filled according
to international standards26 kg
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