atforlpg

Hundreds of people are dying, thousands are getting wounded, and crores worth properties are destroyed annually all over the world because of lack of awareness and negligence by LPG users. In addition to that, ever increasing LPG is adding to cost of living and burden on the common man. So, here are some all round safety and economy awareness tips for using LPG gas

AWARENESS TIPS WHILE RECEIVING A REFILL CYLINDER: *Ensure the seal is intact. *Seal to be removed. *Light the burner, to test cylinder after connection. *Customers with second cylinder also should have it tested by connecting to the hot plate at the time of delivery. Also, please ensure that safety cap is refixed on the second cylinder for safety while not in use. *Clean the burner to ensure effective heating.

AWRENESS MAINTAINANCE TIPS FOR STOVE: *Check rubber tube for cracks/damages. *Self-repair is unsafe. *Always keep the Gas stove on a platform above the cylinder level. *Always keep rubber tube uncovered and visible. *Do not place cylinder inside an enclosed compartment. *Do not keep cylinder in a pit below floor level. *Rubber tube should not have outside metal covering. *Regular maintenance of your stove helps save fuel. And, a bright, steady blue flame means efficient burning. If you see an orange, yellow on the non-uniform flame, clean the burner. *Opt for high-efficiency stoves certified as 'Green Label'. These are eco-friendly and have a thermal efficiency of a minimum of 68 per cent.

SAFETY AWARENESS TIPS: *Replace worn out/damaged rubber tubes with approved ISI Mark Neoprene rubber tubes. *Change rubber tube at least once in two years. *Strike match first, then open burner knob. *Use cotton Apron while cooking. *Smell Gas? Close regulator and burner knobs. Open all doors and windows. Put off all flames. Contact your distributor immediately. *Retain safety cap with nylon thread attached to cylinder. Fix the cap on to the valve to stop leakage, if any. *A cylinder upright is a cylinder right. *In case of urgency, if you leave the kitchen, turn of the flame. *Shelves or storage cabinets should not be placed above the hot plate - reaching out for containers could cause accidents. *No shelf of inflammable material on top of the Gas stove. *Clothes are for wearing, not for Pan handling. Do not use dupatta to handle utensils. Use only pot holders. *Close the cylinder while going out. After returning from long period, do not immediately lit the stove. Smell in the kitchen for any gas leak. *Pooja place should not be a part of Kitchen. *Never leave vessels unattended on burners in operation - the contents may overflow, extinguishing the flame and causing gas leakage. *Do not have curtains on the windows near gas stove. *In case of a burn, cool it under running water. *Always keep an eye on food being heated.* There should be no loose electric wiring in the kitchen. * There should be no refrigerator in the kitchen. * Take care to put off all flames, including prayer lamps, candles, agarbathies etc before connecting/disconnecting a cylinder. *Kitchen should be separate and not part of living/bed room.* Keep away flammable substances (LPG cylinder, kerosene, petrol, chemicals etc) in a separate storeroom, away from living rooms.

SAFETY AWARENESS KITCHEN TIPS: *Kitchen should be properly ventilated with a window and an easy escape door. *Gas stove should not be placed in front of the window to avoid direct draft. *Turn pan handles to the side away from flame. *There should be no direct fan on the Gas stove. *Gas stove should be placed on platform not made of inflammable material. *No parallel electric oven/kerosene stove/gas/wood choolah should be simultaneously used along with LPG stove/oven. *Don't allow children to play in kitchen.*Don't overload electrical appliances in kitchen. *Children/aged persons are not to cook. *Do not operate Electrical switches/ appliances.

AWARENESS TIPS BEFORE COOKING: *Keep everything ready on the platform before you place the pan on the stove like vegetables, garnish, tempering the works… That way, gas is saved: you don't have to keep the flame on medium and then run searching for a piece of ginger or some curry leaves. *Cooking dals and grams in a pressure cooker is much easier and saves time too. Soak them overnight for more benefit. Experiments have shown fuel savings of 20 per cent on rice, 46 per cent on soaked gram dal and 41.5 per cent on meat cooked in a pressure cooker as compared to ordinary cooking.*If you have solar water heater, use hot water to wash vegetables, grains and pulses etc before cooking.*If you plan and cook before just mealtime, reheating of food can be avoided. *If you cook watery vegetables like squash and ash gourd in a pan because they tend to get mashed in the cooker, here's a little tip. Use just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and turn off the flame after a whistle. Your vegetables will turn out perfectly. *In winter, it is advisable to cook when day time temperature is high. *At times, people tend to use more water than a dish needs in the hope that it will cook faster. *Use wide vessels - the larger the surface, the better the heat spreads. *Make sure the pan covers the burner. If the pan is smaller, the flame goes waste, unnecessarily heating up the air near the vessel. *Make effective use of the small burner. It uses up 6 per cent to 10 per cent less gas than the big burner. Use the big burner only for a big vessel or when cooking for a larger gathering. *Soot-clogged gas burners increase fuel consumption. *Keep vessels clean. If there is a layer of salt deposit or grease, it increases heating time. * Don't lean over the burning stove.* If possible, keep one fire extinguisher in your kitchen.* Never fill kerosene when the stove is lit.* When you smell gas: close regulator and burner knobs, open all doors and windows, put off all flames, do not operate electrical switches, contact your distributor immediately.

ECONOMY AWARENESS TIPS: *Avoid using the gas stove to heat water for your bath. It is too much of a luxury in present times. *If you live in an independent house and have access to dried logs and twigs, start a wood fire and boil water the old-fashioned way. *To obtain further savings from a pressure cooker, use the separators of the cooker to cook different items such as rice, vegetables and daal, all at the same time. *Using solar cookers to cook lunch is very economical, nutritious and precious time saving exercise. *In an apartment, a geyser is the best option. Better still; go in for a solar heater. *A micro oven is a great option to reheat foodstuff: also use it to boil vegetables like cabbage, carrot or broccoli.*Less water consumes less fuel. Always reduce the flame once water starts boiling. *When cooking frozen things, like meat and peas or even boiling milk, first bring them to room temperature. To bring them fast to room temperature, those vessels can be placed in water containers.*Lastly plan meal times in such a way that the family eats at the same time. That translates into lesser reheating time.

Following the above tips will result in a saving of about 30% of your LPG utility. So, in addition to above safety and security awareness tips, LPG users should be watchful, aware, and take care of newer safety steps time-to-time in protecting your own precious lives and properties.

FOUNDER: SRI KRISHNAMURTHI, CHAIRPERSON: SMT K. PRAMEELA.

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