A national seminar on “Safe Use of LPG – ‘Zero’ Fatal Accident” to address the need for enhanced safety measures in the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was organized by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). Senior officials from the Petroleum Division, Islamabad Police, Motorways Police, Civil Defense and CEOs of leading LPG sector companies attended the seminar. Chairman OGRA Masroor Khan along with Member Oil, Member Finance and the senior team from OGRA’s LPG and Enforcement Departments, were also present on the occasion. Masroor Khan said that the increasing use of LPG across the country, from urban centers to remote villages demanded urgent need for robust safety protocols. He said that the seminar aimed to address these safety concerns by bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, law enforcement departments, equipment manufacturers and consumers to discuss and promote best practices in LPG usage.

Zain ul Abideen, Member Oil, OGRA highlighted the active engagement of OGRA with provincial governments through field inspections and awareness campaigns to curb illegal LPG activities. Industry experts stressed the importance of strict adherence to safety standards, given the highly flammable nature of LPG. They pointed out the dangers of practices such as filling cylinders in cramped areas, which hinder emergency services, and emphasized the need to ensure that only authorized distributors sell LPG cylinders and to prohibit hazardous cylinder-to-cylinder transfers. The seminar was a crucial step towards ensuring the safe usage of LPG and promoting compliance with safety standards across Pakistan. The collective effort aims to prevent accidents and safeguard lives.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)