Competence requirements
Not just anyone can fill up and sell gas cylinders. The job requires the necessary expertise and must be done at facilities that are intended for filling propane cylinders. Self-service is not allowed. There are strict requirements for what must be checked before and after each refill. After filling, the bottles must be labelled correctly. In addition, there are requirements for periodic checks, which are an even more thorough check of the bottle's condition. All these requirements are there to ensure that you as a consumer can buy and use gas in a safe way.
Correct labelling
Gas cylinders with propane must be labelled with the name of the company that has filled the cylinder and that the cylinder has been inspected before filling. This marking must withstand normal wear and tear.
The propane bottle must also be marked with the date of the next periodic inspection. Periodic checks are carried out by a designated inspection body and are a thorough review of the bottle's condition to check that it is safe to use for a second period. Periodic checks are in addition to the regular checks to be done before and after filling. If a bottle is not marked with the time of the next periodic inspection, the staff at the filling plant must be able to answer when the bottle is due for such an inspection. All new gas cylinders must also be marked with the symbol π. This symbol is a confirmation from the manufacturer that the bottle follows European rules and can be freely sold within the EEA.
Filling gas cylinders
It is not allowed to fill bottles that are damaged, defective, or that have fallen due for periodic inspection. All steel bottles and most composite bottles on the Norwegian market must undergo periodic inspections every 10 years. However, there may be composite bottles on the market with shorter intervals for periodic inspections than 10 years.
The bottles must be marked with the time of the next periodic check-up. However, DSB is aware that many of the bottles on the Norwegian market are only marked with the time of the previous periodic inspection. For bottles that are marked with the date of the last periodic inspection, the consumer can in most cases expect the next periodic inspection to be carried out ten years after the date of the last inspection.
The companies that fill the bottles are responsible for ensuring that bottles that are due for periodic inspections are not refilled. Before filling, it must also be checked that the filling valve, safety valve and gasket are intact. When the bottle is filled, check that the bottle is not overfilled, that it is not leaking and that it has the necessary labelling and identification.
Hand in gas cylinders
Businesses that fill or sell gas cylinders with propane are obliged to accept cylinders from consumers that cannot be filled, or that you for other reasons wish to hand over. This means that these companies are also obliged to accept bottles that have fallen due for periodic inspections.
Consumers do not have to pay to hand over the bottle. The companies have no obligation to replace bottles that cannot be filled. This means that if you have a bottle that has fallen due for periodic inspection, you cannot claim a new bottle back free of charge under the regulations.
When filling propane cylinders, the company shall:
- Examine the bottle for damage
- Ensure that the filling valve, safety valve and gasket are intact
- check that the bottles have not fallen due for periodic inspections
- label the bottles so that they can be traced back to the filling site
- Make sure the bottle is not overfilled
- Check that the bottle is not leaking
Check that the bottle has the required labeling