The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to ensure that only properly trained persons could operate in the gas value chain.
According to the Deputy Executive Director of the EPA, Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, he said the move was to help end the wrongful handling of the product from the point of transportation to the final consumer.
This would also curb the many accidents that had engulfed the sector over the years he added.
Mr Appah-Sampong made this statement during the training of LPG dealers, station attendants, technicians and members of the LPG Marketing Companies’ Association in Takoradi in the Western Region.
He said gas was an essential service, which must be handled more safely.
He stated that though the sector has witnessed many incidents in the past, education and training initiated by the EPA has led to the reduction in fatalities in the sector.
He assured that EPA would continue to work with the Ghana National Fire Service and the Land Use and Spatial Authority to make sure that providers in the gas value chain worked within international best practices.
The training, which centered on Environmental Safety and International Best Practice, is under the auspices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The training introduced participants to the safe handling of the products, efficiency in the regulatory requirement, emerging issues and best practices.
The training also touched on effective customer service, characteristics of good workplace ethics, LPG product accounting, fire safety education, and safe handling of products.
Executive Director, Solution Solve Limited, Samuel Otu Larbi, who is the lead consultant for the Training, said LP gas was potentially hazardous if mishandled or misused.
He cautioned national and local authorities to take advantage of the expertise within the LP gas industry to ensure an informed and uniform approach to good safety practice.
Mr Larbi said being able to control risk would guarantee the health and safety of people and safeguard property and environment.
“The danger is always present only the risk is reduced by behaviour,” he noted.
“To manage the hazard associated with LPG, one must first begin to understand the product and with the application of all the controls and safety procedures put in place.
“Managing safety is knowledge-based and procedures should be revised periodically,” he added.
Mr Larbi said incidents and accidents were sources of case studies and should be shared with the appropriate stakeholders.
