Barbecues Danger Will Rogers!
Safety Information For Gas B-B-Q Grill Owners
Mandatory Safety Upgrade Needed Before Filling Cylinders
Get The Facts Before Your Memorial Day Weekend Cookout
NEW YORK, NY -- With Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer upon us, barbecues will be firing up all across the country. And for the millions of Americans who own a gas grill, there is a new standard in effect that must be met in order to refill your gas cylinder. But more importantly, this new safety requirement will help prevent accidents.
As of April 1st of this year, a new standard from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) went into effect in most states, prohibiting a filling or exchange center from filling a propane cylinder not equipped with an overfill prevention device (OPD). The OPD valve prevents cylinders from being filled above the 80 percent level, therefore reducing the potential for the hazardous venting of gas as the propane expands at higher temperatures.
AmeriGas Since 1998, cylinder manufacturers have complied with a regulation that all portable cylinders be equipped with an OPD. However, an estimated 37 million outdated cylinders remain in use.
How do you know if you have an older cylinder? If the hand wheel is five-pronged, then you will want to exchange it for the new OPD, which is triangle-shaped. Consumers should also be aware that cylinders cannot be abandoned, but must be discarded at a hazardous waste site, or through your local fire department.
AmeriGas, (NYSE: APU) the largest propane supplier in the country, has created a nationwide network of more than 16,000 retail locations providing propane cylinder exchange. For more information on locations where you can exchange your old, empty cylinder for a full one with the new OPD, visit www.AmeriGas.com
For Hard Copies Or More Information, Contact: Valerie Plasmati / Larry Saperstein 1-800-325-8677
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