Rules for using gas at home for children
Inexperienced handling of gas equipment by children leads to accidents.
Last year, several incidents occurred in Belarus involving injuries and burns sustained by young gas users. The main causes of these incidents are careless handling of fire when using a gas stove and the untimely completion of training on the rules for using gas in the household.
The rules for using gas in the household prohibit allowing children under 12 years of age to use gas-using equipment intended for cooking, and children under 14 years of age to use other gas-using equipment, unless they have undergone training in the gas supply organization and are aware of the safe usage rules for this equipment.
When operating household gas stoves, the following requirements must be observed:
— maintain constant supervision of the working gas stove. When the contents of the pot boil, reduce the flame by turning the knob of the burner valve;
— when using the oven, monitor the operation of the burners through the viewing window located in the oven door. In case the flame of the burner goes out, close the oven burner valve, check the oven to avoid explosion or fire, and relight the burner if necessary;
— after using gas, close the valves on the gas-using equipment and in front of it, and when placing cylinders inside kitchens, additionally close the cylinder valve;
— during the operation of the gas stove, ensure ventilation and the influx of fresh air;
— keep the gas-using equipment clean, protecting the burners of the gas stove from contamination during cooking.
It should be remembered that gas will only be your good helper when every family member knows and follows the rules for using gas in the household.
D. KUPASHEVICH,
senior inspector of the energy gas inspection of the Orsha inter-district department
of the State Energy Gas Supervision of the Vitebsk region.