Lagos moves to stem rising incidence of gas explosion

Lanre Mojola

Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola

The Lagos State Government has moved to stem the rising incidence of gas explosion in the state, as it met with players in the industry to discuss ways forward.

The summit was put together by the Lagos State Safety Commission and was held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja Lagos.

Lanre Mojola, Director-General (DG), Lagos Safety Commission, while speaking at the summit on Wednesday charged stakeholders to adhere to safety protocols while they handle and transport gases in order to prevent incidents of gas explosions in the state.

He was represented by the commission’s Technical Adviser, Mr Seun Awojobi.

According to Mojola, findings indicated that gas explosions were often caused by improper handling and storage, saying that the summit was important due to incidents of gas explosions being reported on a daily basis in Lagos State.

He said the Commission had the objective to ensure that it reduced as much as possible, the number of accidents, incidents, or fatalities that come as a result of the use of cooking gases.

The DG stated that one of the things that had been done by the Commission was to do an enumeration of gas retail outlets and had divided that into two phases.

He disclosed that in the first phase, the commission had done an identification of over 2,500 gas retail stores and found some hazardous or safety breaches.

“From our investigations, we also realised that accidents that are being caused by these gas cylinders are caused by improper handling, a lack of proper storage, and here in this event we want to enlighten the associations here on how best they can store the gas used or sold,” he said.

Mojola said that several incidents had occurred in the past and that the Summit was to further prevent these avoidable incidents with more training and enlightenment.

Mobolaji Ogunlende, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, said the government had put in more efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property.

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He was represented at the event by Dr Bukola Ayinla.

Ogunlende said the theme on the efficient use of gas and its potential threat to the safety of lives and property, was apt and that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had made the safety of lives and property an imperative.

“This is a commitment that involves massive advocacy and constant public education. Studies have shown that after the transportation industry, the oil and gas industry accounts for the highest number of incidents in the state and these gas explosions often take place at workshops.

“Consumers exchange empty cylinders at gas retail stores and unsafe practices should be curbed in order to prevent avoidable explosions and we have commenced sensitisation across the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of the state,” he said.

He, however, advised Lagosians to take necessary precautions and avoid unsafe practices that could lead to accidents, as government could only deploy already scarce resources to manage those avoidable accidents and disasters.

Oluwakayode Oyegoke, Head of Distribution System, Storage Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, stated that from their record, most of the incidents come from those who refused to follow the culture of safety and followed laid down regulations and guidelines in the handling of hydrocarbons.

Jamiu Badmos, who spoke on “Safe Gas Handling: Transportation and Dispensing Operation,” took participants through the causes of gas explosions which he attributed to human error.

He said inappropriate care in the handling and storage of compressed gas cylinders led to accidents, as operators must adhere to the basic safety requirement to handle gas cylinders.

According to him, operators must know and understand gas properties, check equipment consistently to ensure no leakages, develop emergency plans and be aware of potential hazards and always ensure the use of personal protective equipment.

He, however, urged government to sanction any erring practitioners who refused to abide by the safety regulations and guidelines.

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