While most of us don’t carry around cylinders of acetylene in our vehicles, many people do carry propane tanks regularly and we use propane as a fuel in our RVs.
I asked the attendant about it the last time I had one of my barbecue tanks filled and he said that I was one of the few who secured it upright in the box of my pickup.
Most people put them in the trunk or back seat and drove away.
Ask any firefighter, gas fitter or inspector from the BC Safety Authority and they will tell you that this lack of care will eventually result in something like the recent incident in the West End of Vancouver.
An acetylene tank stored in a vehicle exploded, causing damage to nearby buildings. some of the damage reached as high as the 12th storey.
The Transportation of Dangerous Goods rules are designed to prevent problems and apply to anyone that transports flammable gasses.
They also provide for penalties when someone chooses not to exercise care.
In short, transport all flammable gas cylinders upright, properly secured, in a well-ventilated area.
Ensure that the cylinders are marked to identify their contents, that they have current inspection and are corrosion- and leak-free.
Safety advice should be available from your propane supplier and the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement.
For more information on this topic, visit www.drivesmartbc.ca. Questions or comments are welcome by e-mail to comments@drivesmartbc.ca. Tim Schewe is a retired RCMP constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. His column appears Thursdays.
