GEA hosts LPG cylinder bulk transportation safety training

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), in collaboration with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the three LPG bottling companies: Guygas, Massy Gas Products and Sol Guyana, recently concluded its LPG Cylinder Bulk Transportation Safety Training.

The sessions, conducted on August 5, 12 and 19, 2026, comprised LPG bottlers, wholesalers, retailers, transporters, and other licensed operators. It focused on reviewing the GYS 264:2025 – Specification for LPG Cylinder and its Storage, Handling and Transportation, assessing the requirements applicable to different operations, and identifying the necessary steps to ensure continued compliance.

The training aims to strengthen oversight of the LPG sector by equipping persons involved in the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, with the knowledge and skills required to reinforce compliance with the Standard, and regulatory requirements governing the LPG supply chain, particularly those activities that fall within the GEA’s licensing mandate under the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulations 2024.

During the training, presentations delivered by the GNBS, GEA, GFS, and LPG bottling companies covered key areas of LPG safety, including the properties and hazards of LPG, fire and explosion risks, inspection of cylinders prior to transportation, the safe handling and transportation of cylinders in bulk quantities. Discussions also addressed the proper handling of damaged, leaking or defective cylinders, leak detection and initial response procedures, as well as fire prevention and emergency response measures.

Additionally, facilitators emphasised the importance of identifying operational challenges and gaps in existing practices to further strengthen safety across the LPG supply and distribution chain.
The GEA recognises that industry-level compliance with the Standard, coupled with consumer education and awareness, is essential to reducing accidents involving LPG cylinders. Therefore, the Agency is also advancing several initiatives to strengthen safety and compliance and public education across the LPG sector. These include quarterly inspections of bottling company facilities to assess cylinder-filling procedures against the requirements of the Standard, regular testing of cylinders at retail sites to identify leaks before cylinders are sold, and the dissemination of critical safety information to licensed LPG retailers and bulk transporters.

While the GEA’s legislative mandate does not extend to the enforcement of domestic-related provisions of the GYS 264 Standard, the Agency will continue to undertake public awareness initiatives aimed at educating consumers on the safe storage, handling, and use of LPG cylinders and associated equipment in the home.

The GEA exercises regulatory and licensing oversight over LPG-related activities, including the importation, bottling, bulk transportation, and sale, and has incorporated the relevant requirements of the Standard into its licensing and compliance operations. The Agency is currently reviewing the existing regulatory framework to determine whether any amendments or additional requirements are needed to support the implementation of the applicable provisions of the Standard.

Moreover, the GEA will continue to collaborate with the GNBS, GFS, EPA, and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen safety and compliance throughout the local LPG sector. These efforts will focus on the effective implementation of the applicable Standards, coordinated enforcement actions within the respective mandates of the agencies, and continued public education to promote the safe handling, storage, transportation, and use of LPG.