Asked to spread the word...
UKLPG advice sheet:
UKLPG • the trade association for the LPG industry in the UK• P a g e 1 of 2
A Camden House •Warwick Road• Kenilworth• Warwickshire• CV8 1TH•
E mail@uklpg.org
User Information Sheet 026
August 2011
Replaces UKLPG Information Sheet 24 – June 2007
FILLING OF USER OWNED, PORTABLE REFILLABLE LPG
CYLINDERS AT AUTOGAS REFUELLING SITES
It is the advice from UKLPG that user owned, portable LPG cylinders should not be
refilled at self service autogas refuelling sites.
Containers which are attached to a vehicle for heating or cooking (on camper vans or
similar) present similar risks on filling to those for propulsion purposes and may be
permitted to be re-filled at autogas refuelling sites provided they:
are not removed for refilling; and
are secured in a suitable enclosure; and
are fitted with an internal device to physically prevent filling beyond 80%; and
are connected to a fixed filling connector which is not part of the container.
UK Health and Safety Regulations, made under the Health and Safety at Work Act,
including the:
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations
Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment
Regulations
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
impose significant duties on the site operator to ensure safety. Autogas refuelling sites
are places of work and their personnel have responsibility for safety to everyone on the
site, including the general public. They authorise the flow of gas from the dispenser and
they may be considered, in law, to be the filler.
Safe filling of LPG cylinders requires appropriate expertise and/or equipment. Staff at
self fill autogas refuelling sites cannot fulfil statutory obligations, as they have neither.
Were there to be any accident the site operator could be liable to prosecution.
This view has been confirmed in the Minutes of the HSE Petroleum Enforcement Liaison
Group meeting of 7th July 2005, which states “PLAs should consider issuing a prohibition
notice if their inspectors discover a site which allows members of the public to refill gas
cylinders”.
Should a site decide to fill user owned, portable LPG cylinders they need to provide
trained personnel to carry out the filling.
UKLPG • the trade association for the LPG industry in the UK• P a g e 2 of 2
A Camden House •Warwick Road• Kenilworth• Warwickshire• CV8 1TH•
E mail@uklpg.org
To ensure safe and satisfactory operations they must consider:
legal implications under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and supporting
legislation, notably the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations,
the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure
Equipment Regulations and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive
Atmospheres Regulations;
their planning and local authority consents;
their position with regard to weights and measures and consumer legislation;
their Insurance position both with regard to on site activities and responsibilities
and subsequent use of the cylinder by the customer.
Their operating procedures should ensure that:
any cylinder to be filled is confirmed to be π marked;
(Note: this is a requirement in the UK to show compliance with the Transportable
Pressure Equipment Directive.)
the staff only fill customer owned cylinders which they are competent to fill and
for which instructions for filling are available;
(Note: Most cylinders in service in the UK are owned by LPG companies and can
only be filled by them.)
smoking and naked lights are prohibited;
any cylinder to be filled and the member of staff filling it are protected from
vehicle movement on the site;
suitable personal protective equipment is worn by the staff carrying out the filling;
there is a method of ensuring there is no static build up;
before any fill the condition of the cylinder is checked against a written procedure
to confirm the cylinder is safe to fill and that the cylinder is “in test”;
(Note: Customer owned composite cylinders have to be re-qualified every 5
years, steel cylinders have to be re-qualified every 10 years.)
ensure that the cylinder is held upright during the filling process;
the cylinder can be confirmed not to be overfilled and there is a procedure on
making safe in the event of an overfill;
the cylinder valve is checked on completion of filling and there is a procedure on
making can be safe in the event of the valve not sealing.
Note: A customer must not be allowed to leave site with an overfilled
or leaking cylinder
UKLPG Code of Practice 12 gives more details to the Regulations and procedures that
apply to cylinder filling operations.
…
Quote
I was recently refused service at a Shell Garage. They said I cannot refill my Alugas refillable bottle. The reason given was that it is a BOTTLE and is BOTTLE shaped. The management at this garage were of no help whatsoever so I just left the premises.
This was at the start of a trip to Scotland and I had no problems gertting refills elsewhere. We just got back today and as Shell did not reply to my email (sent 18/09), I rang them up. The person I spoke to did some checking and has said that BOTTLES, however legal and safe, cannot be filled on their forecourts.
Would wildcamping members who are also members of other forums please spread this information to all motorhomers. I have no intention of buying any more Diesel or Petrol from any Shell garage from now on. It is not much of a protest but is all I can do.
This was at the start of a trip to Scotland and I had no problems gertting refills elsewhere. We just got back today and as Shell did not reply to my email (sent 18/09), I rang them up. The person I spoke to did some checking and has said that BOTTLES, however legal and safe, cannot be filled on their forecourts.
Would wildcamping members who are also members of other forums please spread this information to all motorhomers. I have no intention of buying any more Diesel or Petrol from any Shell garage from now on. It is not much of a protest but is all I can do.
UKLPG advice sheet:
UKLPG • the trade association for the LPG industry in the UK• P a g e 1 of 2
A Camden House •Warwick Road• Kenilworth• Warwickshire• CV8 1TH•
E mail@uklpg.org
User Information Sheet 026
August 2011
Replaces UKLPG Information Sheet 24 – June 2007
FILLING OF USER OWNED, PORTABLE REFILLABLE LPG
CYLINDERS AT AUTOGAS REFUELLING SITES
It is the advice from UKLPG that user owned, portable LPG cylinders should not be
refilled at self service autogas refuelling sites.
Containers which are attached to a vehicle for heating or cooking (on camper vans or
similar) present similar risks on filling to those for propulsion purposes and may be
permitted to be re-filled at autogas refuelling sites provided they:
are not removed for refilling; and
are secured in a suitable enclosure; and
are fitted with an internal device to physically prevent filling beyond 80%; and
are connected to a fixed filling connector which is not part of the container.
UK Health and Safety Regulations, made under the Health and Safety at Work Act,
including the:
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations
Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment
Regulations
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
impose significant duties on the site operator to ensure safety. Autogas refuelling sites
are places of work and their personnel have responsibility for safety to everyone on the
site, including the general public. They authorise the flow of gas from the dispenser and
they may be considered, in law, to be the filler.
Safe filling of LPG cylinders requires appropriate expertise and/or equipment. Staff at
self fill autogas refuelling sites cannot fulfil statutory obligations, as they have neither.
Were there to be any accident the site operator could be liable to prosecution.
This view has been confirmed in the Minutes of the HSE Petroleum Enforcement Liaison
Group meeting of 7th July 2005, which states “PLAs should consider issuing a prohibition
notice if their inspectors discover a site which allows members of the public to refill gas
cylinders”.
Should a site decide to fill user owned, portable LPG cylinders they need to provide
trained personnel to carry out the filling.
UKLPG • the trade association for the LPG industry in the UK• P a g e 2 of 2
A Camden House •Warwick Road• Kenilworth• Warwickshire• CV8 1TH•
E mail@uklpg.org
To ensure safe and satisfactory operations they must consider:
legal implications under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and supporting
legislation, notably the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations,
the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure
Equipment Regulations and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive
Atmospheres Regulations;
their planning and local authority consents;
their position with regard to weights and measures and consumer legislation;
their Insurance position both with regard to on site activities and responsibilities
and subsequent use of the cylinder by the customer.
Their operating procedures should ensure that:
any cylinder to be filled is confirmed to be π marked;
(Note: this is a requirement in the UK to show compliance with the Transportable
Pressure Equipment Directive.)
the staff only fill customer owned cylinders which they are competent to fill and
for which instructions for filling are available;
(Note: Most cylinders in service in the UK are owned by LPG companies and can
only be filled by them.)
smoking and naked lights are prohibited;
any cylinder to be filled and the member of staff filling it are protected from
vehicle movement on the site;
suitable personal protective equipment is worn by the staff carrying out the filling;
there is a method of ensuring there is no static build up;
before any fill the condition of the cylinder is checked against a written procedure
to confirm the cylinder is safe to fill and that the cylinder is “in test”;
(Note: Customer owned composite cylinders have to be re-qualified every 5
years, steel cylinders have to be re-qualified every 10 years.)
ensure that the cylinder is held upright during the filling process;
the cylinder can be confirmed not to be overfilled and there is a procedure on
making safe in the event of an overfill;
the cylinder valve is checked on completion of filling and there is a procedure on
making can be safe in the event of the valve not sealing.
Note: A customer must not be allowed to leave site with an overfilled
or leaking cylinder
UKLPG Code of Practice 12 gives more details to the Regulations and procedures that
apply to cylinder filling operations.
…
