SLSI responds to allegations on incidents linked to gas

Thursday, 2 December 2021 03:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SLSI Chief says CAA is responsible to monitor compliance of valves, regulators and flexible hoses
Points SLSI has specified the maximum vapour pressure of the gas in the standard, and it is the general practice in other countries too
Asserts SLSI published all standards as voluntary standards, and that SLSI doesn’t have regulatory power to make any standards “compulsory”

The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), responding to the allegations over the recent incidents related to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), maintained that it was not authorised to monitor the compliance of valves, regulators and flexible hoses used for cylinders for LPG filling.

“The Consumer Affair Authority (CAA) has issued a Gazette Notification no. 1742/27 dated 27 January 2012 making the Standards compulsory for valves, regulators and flexible hoses. Therefore, it is the responsibility of CAA to monitor the compliance of above items. In that gazette, CAA has not authorised or given the responsibility to SLSI to regulate above items,” SLSI Director-General Dr. Siddhika Senaratne said in a statement yesterday.

She pointed out that the main allegation in this regard was that SLSI had not included the composition of butane and propane to the relevant Sri Lanka standard. However, she said SLSI has specified the maximum vapour pressure of the gas in the standard and that it was the general practice in other countries too.

“Vapour pressure is considered as the critical factor to control the leakage. The composition has not incorporated to the standards in America, Europe and most of other counties,” she added.

“SLSI published all standards as ‘voluntary standards’ and SLSI does not have regulatory power to make any standards compulsory. That has to be done by the relevant regulatory Authority in Sri Lanka. However, through the Imports and Exports Control Act, the Department of Imports and Exports Control has granted the authority to SLSI to monitor the conformity of LPG cylinders to the relevant Sri Lanka standard,” the SLSI Chief explained.

It was revealed that no explosion of gas cylinders had been reported in the recent past. Further, it was reported that the incidents in question were caused by leakages of LP gas, she stressed.

Stating that the SLSI has accomplished its duties and responsibilities bestowed through the powers vested on it, Dr. Senaratne assured the institution’s involvement in future endeavours with regard to the safety of public.