4 Common GAS Check? Mistakes

1. Technicians misunderstand the intent of documentation.

The intent of the GAS Check? or safety inspection form is to document that propane system components are OK from a safety and compliance perspective. Often technicians incorrectly document a material description of a propane system component.

2. Leak check, pressure test, and flow and lock-up tests are recorded using time held, not start time and end time.

NFPA 54 requires that a leak check be held for at least three minutes and a pressure test in common scenarios for at least 10 minutes. Documenting a start time and an end time is a best practice from a liability and risk management perspective.

3. PSI draw down is not recorded.

If conducting a leak check using a block gauge, test block, or a high pressure gauge apparatus, the initial pressure on the gauge should be reduced by a minimum of 10 PSI. When recording, it is recommended that you record the initial pressure, which is the ?Tank Pressure,? and then the ?Start Pressure? that is used to conduct the leak check. Example: the initial gauge reading is at 60 PSI and the test is conducted after reducing the pressure by a minimum of 10 PSI. In this example, a successful check would record the ?Start Pressure? as 60/50 PSI and the ?End Pressure? would be recorded as 50 PSI.

4. The leak check is conducted incorrectly.

A correctly performed and documented leak check is a critical component of propane safety policy. Learn more about this important process which is often confused with other propane terms in our next communication: ?It?s a Leak Check not a Pressure Test! 4 Commonly Confused Propane Safety Terms.”