Common Natural Gas Safety Hazards and How to Avoid Them

Natural gas is the most popular energy source worldwide, including in the UK. It is also considered to be an environment-friendly fuel, as it generates the lowest quantity of carbon dioxide compared to coal or oil. Similarly, it produces the lowest amount of Nitrogen oxide and Sulfur Dioxide compared to other fuels. However, it generates slightly more carbon monoxide than oil but still far less than coal.

Despite being the most environmentally friendly, natural gas also has some potential risks. The most common threat associated with natural gas is a higher probability of causing fire and explosion. The emission of carbon monoxide is yet another serious risk. Natural gas can also cause serious health issues if not handled properly.

Despite that, natural gas is still far safer than other conventional energy sources, such as coal and oil. Moreover, natural gas is equally useful for homes and industries. The risks involved in using natural gas in homes can easily be minimized, near zero risk, by adopting standard safety measures.

What is Natural Gas?

Natural gas, more commonly referred to as Gas, is a mixture of gases naturally produced deep inside the earth. It is also known as fossil gas. 95% of natural gas is methane, whereas the remaining 5% comprises hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium. Methane has no color or odor; hence, natural gas is also colorless and odorless. For safety purposes and to make it detectable, gas supply companies add an odorant in very small quantities, mostly mercaptan, which smells like a rotten egg. The smell of mercaptan helps to detect gas leakage. Though not a toxic gas, methane can be highly dangerous if a human is exposed to it for a prolonged period.

Natural gas is mentioned in ancient Greece and China. By the early twentieth century, it started gaining popularity as an alternate source of energy. With the invention of long-distance pipelines, gas found its utility in industries and homes. Since then, it has almost replaced conventional fuels like coal.   

Gas is also transported through pipelines, transformed into LNG, and then transported to far-off places via container ships. Cylinders, commonly known as LPG, are another way of transporting gas:

• Natural gas is commonly used in followed sectors
• Power generation
• Home fuel for cooking and heating
• Alternate fuel for transport, in the shape of CNG
• Fertilizer manufacturing
• Production of Hydrogen

Reasons Behind Gas Hazards

Gas is usually the safest energy source for homes and industries unless it remains confined within the pipework and gas appliances. The problem begins when gas starts leaking from a faulty gas appliance or any rusted part of gas pipework. So, it is very important to detect a gas leak at an early stage to avoid major damage.

Common Signs of a Gas Leak

The gas hazards are closely associated with the leaks. So, one must be vigilant about any such occurrence at home or workplace. Here are some of the most common signs of a gas leak in or around your place:

• Consistent pungent smell like that of a rotten egg.
• A hissing sound arises from somewhere near a gas pipeline or a gas appliance.
• Bubbles appear from standing water or mud outside your home, where possibly an underground gas pipeline exists.
• Plants in your lawn start dying or getting pale or leaves get wilted. These are all possible signs of a gas leak somewhere near your lawn.
• Visible symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Abnormal increase in energy bill.

If one or a combination of more than one of the above signs appears in or around your place, it indicates a gas leak.

Common Natural Gas Safety Hazards and How to Avoid Them

Natural gas safety hazards can be classified into three main categories: medical situations, fire and explosions, and emissions. If gas is used according to natural gas safety standards, these risks can be minimized or even brought to near-zero levels.

Medical Situations

Prolonged exposure to natural gas can be dangerous for human health. Often, the leaking natural gas quickly mixes with fresh air, so it does not pose an immediate threat. However, if the leak is confined, its ratio slowly increases and harms human health.

Natural gas is non-toxic, but when it mixes in air in higher proportions, causing oxygen deficiency, it becomes dangerous for human health:

• When the natural gas concentration in the air is between 25 and 30%, it starts affecting human health. Ringing ears and euphoria, plus abnormal human behavior, are the common signs of oxygen deficiency.
• If natural gas accumulates to around 50%, it results in serious medical conditions. A human breathing in such an environment for a few minutes is most likely to become incapacitated.
• A human exposed to an environment with 75% or more of natural gas mixed in the air will become disabled immediately, resulting in death in just a few minutes.

Fire and Explosions

Another serious risk associated with gas leaks is an eruption of fire. Natural gas is a highly inflammable material. It catches fire immediately if exposed to a flame or an electric spark. A little flame or a tiny spark may cause a huge fire in case of a gas leak, especially in a closed atmosphere, such as within a home with no reasonable ventilation or influx of fresh air.

Natural gas tends to accumulate in a confined area, such as a closed corner of a home. The gas mixes in the air, and when it gets in touch with even a small flame or an electric spark, it explodes like a bomb. Fire and explosions caused by gas leaks may result in serious damage or loss of properties and assets, injuries, and human lives.

Emission of Carbon Monoxide

Natural gas that is incompletely burned due to a fault in the burner generates carbon monoxide, which is often called a silent killer. It is colorless and odorless, so it cannot be detected without an efficient carbon monoxide detector.

Carbon monoxide poisoning may happen due to any of the following reasons:

1. Improper ventilation in the area where burning gas appliances are installed.
2. Lack of fresh air in and around the location of a gas appliance, where burning of gas is involved.
3. Blockage in chimneys, flues, and vents.
4. Wrongly or unprofessionally installed gas appliances.
5. The gas appliances were not serviced and maintained timely.
6. Gas safety inspection was not done annually, as required under the Gas Safety Regulations 1998 provisions.

Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide may result in serious consequences, which may lead to death. Common signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are as under:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Stomach pain or vomiting
• Chest pain

If one or more of the above signs are noticed, the affected person should immediately get medical assistance. If left unattended, the suffering person may lose his life.

How to Avoid Natural Gas Safety Hazards?

Natural gas is the safest fuel. Despite all possible risks, it is still the most economical, efficient, and safe energy source when used prudently while following the safety standards as defined in the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

To avoid any inherent risk and threat of a gas hazard, you must follow the gas safety standards, a summary of which is given here:

• Follow the provisions of the Gas Safety Regulations of 1998. Manage annual gas safety inspection of all gas appliances. Get the gas safety certificate after completing the gas safety check.
• The Gas Safe Registered Engineer should invariably do all gas appliances and allied fittings. Don’t engage any unregistered or unqualified person to conduct any such job.
• Regular maintenance and servicing of gas appliances is very important. Manage it regularly to avoid any gas mishaps.
• Replace old and out-of-date gas appliances with new versions. Boilers often need replacement after 7-10 years. Make sure that a boiler is replaced before it completes its useful life.
• Keep the flues and chimneys free of any blockage.
• Ensure that an efficient ventilation system is in place in your home.
• Install gas leak detectors.

Precautions

• Never let the burner open when it is not in use. Always shut it.
• If you notice any signs of a gas leak, immediately shut the main gas inlet valve, which is normally installed near your home's main entrance.
• Don’t switch on or off any electric appliance in any such case.
• Open windows and doors so that fresh air gets in.
• Don’t ignite a flame in such a situation.
• Call a gas-safe registered engineer to check and fix the gas leak.

Conclusion

Natural gas is quite a useful, reliable, economical, and safe energy source. It is also environmentally friendly, as compared with coal and oil. Like any other fuel, natural gas is also prone to fire and explosions, especially when you violate the gas safety standards.

Gas safety hazards can be avoided by following the rules and regulations enforced by the authorities. Gas becomes dangerous when it comes out of the gas pipework or from any faulty gas appliances in the form of a gas leak. So, the best way to avoid gas hazards is to detect and fix a gas leak early.