For years, the “German Association for Gas Technology e.V.” (GAGT), tightened measures in Punkto safety of propane / butane gas cylinders, on the German market. Now another serious accident (apartment fire), happened on 30.11.2021 around 12:00 o’clock in Griesheim near Darmstadt, due to the use of a compressed gas container in an apartment. Regardless of what the investigations by the Darmstadt public prosecutor’s office will reveal, one thing cannot be wiped off the table, this accident would not have happened if clip-one valves had been used on the pressurized gas container.
This fact has been known to the gas supply companies and manufacturers of these pressurized gas containers for years. Of course, it is known that rotary closures, as they have been used unchanged since the 2nd World War on the market in Germany, pose a high risk to their users. The GAGT, has also commented on this in detail several times on its website and in many press releases. Nothing has changed to date. Also the market supervision authorities of the Lands of the Federal Republic were requested, already several times this happen finally an end to prepare. The death of two humans goes back exclusively to the failure of the market supervision authorities and this without if and however. Incidentally, the question must also be asked how it can be that untrained private individuals can buy these dangerous goods containers so easily, without the dangers, which emanates from these, is sufficiently clarified. Unfortunately, the relevant industrial safety regulations, only designed for a trade and not for customers in the private sector, in their use.
How many deaths and injuries must there actually be in this winter 21/22 yet, before the market surveillance authorities decide against the use of the rotary closures and for clip-on valves. Of course, everything is again here a pure question of money in the sense of the manufacturers. We will also now have to ask the entire media in Germany to get to the bottom of this danger for people, right up to their death, and to report on it. The GAGT, is able the media extensive material on request, to make available. The customers of building markets and sales offices of the manufacturers, as well as their Vertreiber of these dangerous goods containers to a large extent from the way to go. Security goes before and is in handling these dangerous goods containers highest requirement. For a better understanding of such pressurized gas containers with clip-on valves, the company Rotarex / SRG (Schulz + Rackow Gastechnik GmbH) from Gladenbach, has provided us with a few photos, they have been in this country for 70 years. Europe actually knows nothing else and wonders every day about what is happening in Germany. Here they can see how easy it would be to prevent such tragic accidents, as in Griesheim. Once again for better understanding and action, the deaths and injuries in Griesheim are solely due to the gas industry and the failure of the market surveillance authorities. Who brings such products on the market, must also provide for their security and this also with misbehavior of humans. In any case, this is clearly stated in the “Ortsbewegliche Druckgeräte-Verordnung (ODV).
Peter Ziegler CEO
