Documented Safety Practices: Propane Retailer’s Best Defense

In the propane retail industry, safety is paramount. Propane retailers across the nation adhere to standard safety practices to ensure the well-being of their customers and communities. However, one safety practice stands out as the single best defense: documentation.

While many propane retailers diligently perform essential safety tasks such as gas checks, leak checks, tank installations, and bobtail inspections, documenting these actions cannot be overstated. Without proper documentation, it’s as if these critical safety measures never took place.

Consider a scenario where a retail propane customer’s house tragically exploded, leading to a lawsuit with propane-related implications. As the fire marshal delved into the case, it became evident that a propane leak had triggered the catastrophic explosion.

In this particular case, the propane retailer had conducted a gas check at the customer’s residence a couple of years prior, and this was duly recorded in the customer’s file. However, after examining the documented gas check, a startling revelation came to light: the old propane water heater had been replaced with an electric unit.

Unaware of this change, the retailer assumed the propane appliance was still in use because they hadn’t installed or decommissioned the old water heater. Moreover, the homeowner had neglected to inform the retailer of this significant alteration. Shockingly, the homeowners had taken it upon themselves to install the new water heater. Instead of adequately capping the gas line, they used duct tape as a makeshift solution.

Fortunately for the propane retailer, the documented evidence of the gas check and the subsequent new water heater installation worked in their favor. This crucial documentation was the retailer’s saving grace, absolving them of liability because the homeowner had failed to disclose the change.

While filling out gas check forms and documenting safety practices may seem tedious, this story underscores their immense importance. Those extra minutes spent on documentation could save propane retailers from substantial legal and safety repercussions in the long run.

In the propane industry, where safety is non-negotiable, documentation emerges as the best safety practice a retailer can employ. It safeguards the retailer’s interests and, more importantly, ensures the safety and well-being of customers and communities.