Did I remember to turn off the gas?

pvb

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A reminder to you and everyone else then, that you are only a moments lapse away from an accident. Go careful out there. You wouldn't want anyone to think you are totally incompetent...

It's not exactly rocket science to know that you have to tighten a gas connection on a bottle...
 

Mark-1

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A reminder to you and everyone else then, that you are only a moments lapse away from an accident. Go careful out there. You wouldn't want anyone to think you are totally incompetent...

All of us are totally incompetent from time to time, that's why you need sensible processes in place.

In fact you might say that a lack of sensible processes is a total failure to "Go careful out there." Which was the conclusion of the MAIB report.
 
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penfold

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There were so many faults and evidence of non-compliance on the Lord Trenchard that it was an accident waiting to happen. Boats owned by the Crown aren't required to comply with the regulations affecting lesser boats. Maybe this should be changed. But, in any case, all it needed was a totally incompetent crewman to have the job of attaching a gas bottle, and "BANG".
Crown immunity ceased to be a thing in the 1990s, if not earlier.
 

Wave-Patterns

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At home after a fantastic few days sailing and I was lighting the gas hob to make a cup of coffee. A sudden thought: 'did I remember to turn off the gas on the boat?'

It then struck me as odd that I worry about turning off the boat's gas but happily leave the house's gas on all the time - I can't remember when I last turned it off. So why the difference between the marine and the domestic situation?

Gas explosions do occur in houses, between 26 and 41 per year according to the HSE - leat's call it 40 for simple arithmetic - but there are 27.8 million households, an unknown but quite high proportion with gas, say 20 million. Hence 1 explosion per 500,000 years per house.
To be avoided of course, but a small risk compared to quite a lost of things: my risk of dying from natural causes is about 1%, a 5000 x greater risk.

So are boats significantly more in danger of gas explosions than our homes are? Some possible factors:
- boats mostly have a bilge so escaped gas can 'collect' (but what if you've a cellar or basement in the house?)
- most homes use methane which its lighter than air rather than LPG (actually my house uses bottled propane)
- boat installations are so much flakier (are they? I have my doubts)

Or is it a hangover from earlier times and unnecessary today. Any ideas?
I don't really know if it is a hangover from previous times, but having the same problem in remembering if I turned the gas off on the boat I created a reminder, which I have as a magnet on the microwave immediately above the galley hob. Hopefully, I will notice the reminder.
 

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pvb

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Crown immunity ceased to be a thing in the 1990s, if not earlier.

Not according to the MAIB report. In para 1.12 the report says "As a vessel owned by The Crown, Lord Trenchard was not required to be inspected or certificated by any regulations compiled under Merchant Shipping Acts."
 
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