To Ensure LPG Gas Safety For All

LPG has always played a big part when it comes to catering, and by this point the use of LPG is effectively synonymous with mobile, event and festival catering.

For something that features so widely and is an essential component of the independent hospitality sector, there is a concerning amount of bad practice, misinformation and negligence that goes on for it to be sustainable.

A lack of clear regulations and set standards, in any walk of life, will encourage a blurring of the lines, a muddying of the waters. This is exactly the case when it comes to LPG usage. Caterers can be fed completely opposing lines of expertise when it comes to their set-ups by employed gas engineers. The standards that apply to manufacturers differ to those that engineers installing and maintaining those same products have to operate to, and inspection protocols means catering set ups are often evaluated out of the field, rendering them effectively irrelevant.

Simply put, the industry needs a greater degree of transparency, regulation and clearly set standards for all parties to adhere to. After all, the usage of LPG is literally playing with fire, and the repercussions of negligent set-ups or use, can easily result in grave circumstances. We want to avoid any such incidents happening, to draw attention to the need for suggested reforms and to bring the industry together in order to keep the playing field safe for all to use.

The Mobile LPG Gas Safety Initiative

We recognise the challenges that the mobile catering sector faces, and how big a problem this could pose in terms of safety if not dealt with properly. Considering all the parties that this affects, NCASS has taken it upon ourselves to create a Mobile LPG Gas Safety Initiative. Work has begun to outline a roadmap to standardise gas safety within the industry.

This roadmap is broken into six key areas and sets out what we believe will be a five-year plan to bring safer gas usage to the sector. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but beginning to build the foundations is an essential step to lay the path moving forward.

The aim is to increase the overall safety of everyone in the sector working with gas – both for caterers, their staff, and the general public. We want to involve the whole industry, which includes getting the gas suppliers on board. Ensuring that everybody is operating to safe standards will act to raise the profile of the industry.

What are we doing?

We are launching a brand new LPG Safety online course to help outline best practices. We are tailoring the course so that it can be relevant to and taken by, various sects of audiences, making sure it is suitable for all involved with the use of LPG.

We have mentioned that accountability is spread across the whole industry, and we are looking to increase that accountability, by planning some training workshops and sessions that are targeted towards event organisers. These sessions deal with increasing awareness of LPG issues and again seek to reinforce best practices, and unite standards across the sector.

Furthermore, we are looking to deliver a training package aimed at Environmental Health Officers as well as Local Authorities, so it is easier for all involved to recognise the required standards. This should act towards driving up standards seen in the hospitality sector with a specific focus on the events industry.

Ultimately, we want to safeguard the industry for future generations and ensure that everyone is operating safely when it comes to catering. We want to protect the sector and allow all individuals involved to thrive. We recognise this is no easy feat or quick fix, which is why we’ve spent our time researching the issue from all angles and have put together our comprehensive road map. We want to see as many people and parties get involved with this campaign as possible, from all across the sector.

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