Gas Safety > Irish LPG Standards
Irish LPG Standards
There are a number of Irish Standards covering LPG. Each standard has a wide scope, and so between them they encompass practically all activities: little if any reference in practice need be made to other standards, apart from those manufacturing appliances or equipment. The following is a list of these standards, along with their scope and recent amendments. These standards are available from the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
Unlike most other countries, in the interests of everyone but particularly installers, they have been jointly developed by both the Natural Gas and LPG industries to harmonise all possible work practices and reduce confusion.
I.S. 820, Non-Domestic Gas Installations
This has only recently been published. It covers non-domestic gas installations from design through installation to commissioning and admittance of gas, both for LPG and Natural Gas. It gives guidance and the requirements for pipework, suitable appliance locations, flueing, and ventilation. Suitable locations for LPG cylinders supplying these installations are also detailed (LPG tanks are covered in IS 3216), as are new certification requirements. It replaces the older, LPG-only, I.S. 327.
I.S. 813, Domestic Gas Installations
This is similar to IS 820 except that it covers domestic installations. It also covers domestic appliances installed in non-domestic installations (e.g. domestic cookers in a factory canteen). It is currently being amended to bring it's certification requirements into line with the recent IS 820. It had previously been amended to include new requirements for gas installations in schools designed to provide a higher level of safety in these cases.
I.S. 265, Installation of Gas Service Pipes
This is of more relevance for Natural Gas distribution, but it does apply where LPG is being supplied from an LPG tank through gas meters (for billing purposes) to independent end-users. In this case, it applies to the pipework from the tank to the gas meters.
I.S. 3216, Code of Practice for the Bulk Storage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Part 1
The main concern of this standard is LPG tanks and includes suitable locations, separation distances, required water supplies, tank fittings, security, and loading / unloading facilities. It also includes requirements for vaporisers and forklift filling facilities. It excludes garage forecourts.
I.S. 3216, Code of Practice for the Bulk Storage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Part 2
This part is similar to Part 1, but applies only to garage forecourts, i.e. where LPG is sold to LPG-powered cars, and so will only be of interest to garage operators.
I.S. 3213, Code of Practice for the Storage of LPG Cylinders and Cartridges
This is concerned with suitable locations and precautions for the storage of cylinders (i.e. NOT in use): it's main relevance is to dealers and distributors who resell or distribute LPG cylinders.
