KUCHING: A pressure reducer is an integral device in every installation of gas piping but equally importance is its regular maintenance and check.
A mechanical engineer, who was asked on the importance of the device, said it helps to reduce input pressure of gas to a desired value for normal use at its output.
He said normally, the mainline has high pressure hence a pressure reducer was compulsory.
The engineer, who declined to be named, was asked on the importance of a pressure reducer in view of last Tuesday’s explosion, believed to be due to a leakage in the pressure reducer, at an eatery at CityOne Megamall here.
The blast rendered three people dead and 41 injured.
Explaining the differences between a pressure reducer and a pressure regulator, the engineer, who is attached to a private company, said: “In simple layman’s term, a reducer is a device to limit the pressure while a regulator adjusts the pressure.
“Both devices actually serve a similar function. A reducer, however, controls gas pressure from its main source before supplying it to each tenant unit.
“Every eatery must have a pressure reducer fixed to its gas piping system. A meter regulator, on the other hand, is used to help monitor the gas pressure so that the appropriate adjustments could be made depending on the kind of usage,” he further explained.
Another engineer, who also declined to be named, said the unfortunate incident in CityOne has taken safety at eateries, irrespective of venue, to a new level.
“We should stop using every Tom, Dick and Harry to renovate our houses or shops. I am not saying this is the case at CityOne.
“But, I have umpteen times seen commercial kitchens being renovated, including handling of explosive items in the past by ordinary workers who were not experts in this field,” he added.
He stressed that this should not be allowed to continue and the relevant authorities should enforce the law more rigidly from now on.
He said safety devices should be installed in any hazardous system and that the device should be calibrated periodically to prevent unwanted incidents.
He noted that business owners should not put monetary gains above safety.
“It is compulsory to regularly check these devices as they all have a lifespan. This is also to avoid unwanted incidents from occurring.
“The accidents are not only going to be costly to all concerned, but may also result in the loss of lives,” he warned.
