By Angela Ayimbire
Tema, Sept. 20, GNA – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has re-invigorated educational and sensitization mechanism aimed at reducing radically the hazards associated with the usage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Ghana.
The EPA has therefore intensified the training of players in the LPG sector which includes Owners and Dealers, Station Attendants, Customers, Transporters, and other technical partners.
Speaking at the Bono East Regional training programme held in Techiman dubbed: “Environmental Safety and Best Practices,” Mr William Hayfron-Acquah, EPA Acting Director, Field Operations explained that the agency seeks to raise awareness about the hazards of LPG and the preventive mechanism available.
Mr Hayfron-Acquah noted that the training emanated from the background that there has been a series of gas explosions and fire outbreaks in the country for some time now, which had resulted in loss of lives and property.
He said as major player in charge of environmental protection we have identified education as a missing link, therefore “we want to build the capacity of station attendants who plays a critical interface in the whole operations of selling LPG to end users.
“We believe that if the actors understand the products they are dealing with, such knowledge will help reduce the human factors that’s errors which most often leads to fire outbreaks,” he said.
The EPA Acting Director Field Operations urged stakeholders to enrol their attendants to participate in the training; “Dealers and Owners must also participate in the training as it will help you protect your investment through the best administered practices.”
Mr Hayfron-Acquah told the Ghana News Agency in an interview after the Bono East Regional training that the EPA seeks through the training to equip stakeholders with the requisite technical skills and knowledge; and introduce professionalism into the Oil and Gas downstream industry.
He said, “we also seek to certify all the operators along the supply chain including, the Investors, Drivers, Managers, Supervisors, Compliance Officers, and Pump Attendants with the best modern practices to operate.”
The current series is targeted at the pump attendants across the country. It will therefore be organised in all the 16 regions.
Mr Samuel K. Otu Larbi, Managing Director Solution Solve Limited lead resource person for training explained managing safety is knowledge based and procedures should be revised periodically, stressing that incident and accident are source of case studies and instructive and should be shared for the benefit of all stakeholders.
“The national and local authorities should take advantage of the expertise within the LP gas industry to ensure an informed and uniform approach to good safety practice,” he said.
Mr Otu Larbi said controlling risks guarantees the health and safety of people and safeguards property and environment, stressing that the “danger is always present, only the risk is reduced by behaviour.
“The major players (the installer, the marketer, and the consumer) have a key role to play in the safe handling of the gas. LPG is potentially hazardous from production until it has been used.
“So, every uncontrolled release is a hazardous act and should receive urgent attention. Thus, even the smallest gas leak can be detected and should receive appropriate and immediate attention,” Mr Otu Larbi stated.
GNA