Non-fatal gas incidents have been classified into two groups, those causing serious injury requiring hospitalisation and those causing minor injury. Figure 6 below shows the number of incidents resulting in serious injury per million population. Trends indicate an increase in incidents reported in this area.

Figure 6

Serious injury per million population

The majority of incidents resulting in serious injury involved cookers, recreational equipment (predominately barbeques) and water heaters.

Unsafe installation was identified as a major cause of incidents involving cookers and component failure/design fault in recreational equipment. Incidents involving water heaters resulted mainly from improper use of the unit.