Chief Executive Officer of Kaysens Gas Company Limited and Chairman of the Private Sector Safety Technical Committee (PSSTC), E.D.M. Stephens ACP (Rtd), has refuted claims that the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) is the solution to preventing explosions at gas filling stations.
He argues that safety precautions, not the CRM, are the key to avoiding such incidents.
In response to an article by Festus William Ameyaw of Express Gas Ltd, E.D.M. Stephens ACP (Rtd) pointed out that there have been only two notable explosions—the Trade Fair Site in December 2016 and the Atomic Junction in October 2017—over nearly 30 years of operation at existing plants.
He emphasized that the CRM is not a guaranteed method for ensuring safety, and manual refilling of cylinders has never been identified as a cause of LPG explosions in Ghana.
Citing the PSSTC’s investigation into the Atomic Junction explosion in August 2018, he noted that the report concluded the primary cause of explosions was the discharging of LPG from Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) to station tanks. This finding was also supported by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in its reports on the Atomic Junction and La Trade Fair explosions.
“The truth is that there has not been a single gas explosion at any existing plant since 2017,” he said, attributing this achievement to the collaboration between the LPG Marketers, NPA, EPA, GSA, Atomic Energy, Fire Service, and Factories Inspection Directorate.
These organizations conduct regular inspections to ensure safety standards are upheld before issuing licenses, which involve significant costs.
Another critical measure, according to E.D.M. Stephens ACP (Rtd), is the mandatory use of electric discharge pumps at LPG stations instead of BRV engines, which previously caused overheating and contributed to explosions.
He questioned the need for a shift to the CRM, stating, “So, what is the basis or why to call for a change to CRM when a solution has long been found to the explosion problem?”
He further highlighted that bottling plant accidents, which can cause significant harm, are more common in the LPG industry, even in developed countries. He cited the tragic incident at Apiatse in the Western Region, where an entire village was destroyed in an explosion, as a reminder of the potential dangers associated with transporting cylinders.
E.D.M. Stephens ACP (Rtd) concluded by reiterating that safety practices, rather than the CRM, are essential to preventing explosions at gas filling stations, urging continued vigilance and adherence to safety protocols.