Latest update September 18th, 2026 10:25 AM
Guyana makes LPG Cylinder and Regulator Safety Standards mandatory after explosion concerns
(Kaieteur News) – The government has approved two national standards covering liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders and low-pressure regulators, making them compulsory in a move officials say will tighten safety rules and raise the quality of gas equipment sold in Guyana.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce said the decision follows public complaints about LPG cylinder explosions and leaks in homes. In response, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) spent 2025 reviewing and rewriting two existing standards: GYS 264, which governs LPG cylinders and how they are stored, handled and transported, and GYS 523, which covers low-pressure regulators used with LPG.
A technical committee drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Energy Agency, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Revenue Authority, Massy Gas, GUYGAS Inc. and the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission led the revision, drawing on input from the petroleum industry and a 60-day public consultation.
Under the updated GYS 264 standard, LPG cylinders must meet recognised safety specifications and carry a stamp showing compliance. Each cylinder must also be permanently marked with details including its tare weight, water capacity, serial number, manufacturer’s name, manufacture or last test date, tester’s symbol and working pressure.
Cylinders will also need a safety relief device to release excess vapour pressure, along with either a securely welded shroud or a neck ring that lets a valve protection cap be screwed on, plus a foot ring so the cylinder can stand upright on its own. The standard bars cylinders with sharp dents, cuts, bulging, corrosion, fire damage, broken pins or built-up dirt that could compromise safety. It also sets rules for repairs, retesting, storage and transport.
The companion standard, GYS 523, sets technical requirements for low-pressure single- and two-stage regulators used with LPG, covering pressures below 6.894 kN/m² — well under the roughly 2.942 kN/m² at which most household and commercial appliances typically run.
It requires regulator components to be made from materials that won’t be damaged by the chemical or thermal stress of normal use, specifies that brass parts must resist season cracking, and calls for zinc-alloy, die-cast covers on regulators rated up to 1,000 litres per hour. The standard also addresses finishes, valve materials, threaded connections, temperature and endurance testing, user instructions and maintenance.
Once in force, the standards will require manufacturers and suppliers to bring all LPG cylinders and regulators sold in Guyana into compliance. The Guyana Energy Agency will monitor adherence to the cylinder standard, GYS 264, while the GNBS will oversee the regulator standard, GYS 523.
As part of the legal process for making the standards compulsory, the Ministry is inviting public comment on the proposals through 30th September, 2026. Comments should be submitted to the Executive Director of the GNBS. Copies of both standards are available for inspection at the GNBS head office at Track MB, Block B, National Exhibition Centre, Sophia, Georgetown, or online at www.gnbsgy.org.
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