Retailer fined after gas cylinders stored near shop entrance

Nation.Cymru staff

A retailer has been ordered to pay more than £2,500 after inspectors found gas cylinders being stored near combustible materials and the only accessible entrance to his shop.

Roger Walters, of Roger Walters of Whitchurch and Roger Walters Interiors in Cardiff, was prosecuted after failing to comply with health and safety notices relating to the storage of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard that the investigation began following a complaint from a member of the public in April 2025 about the storage of stock and LPG cylinders at the hardware shop on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch.

Unannounced inspections by Shared Regulatory Services found excessive quantities of propane and butane cylinders stored inside the shop near combustible materials.

Some were also adjacent to the front entrance, which at the time was the only accessible way into and out of the building.

Inspectors found further cylinders stored unsecured immediately outside the entrance and said the arrangements did not comply with industry codes of practice.

A storage cage had been provided in the rear car park for additional cylinders, but potentially combustible materials were found around it, increasing the risk of fire or explosion.

The court was also told employees had not been given adequate information, instruction or training on the safe storage and handling of LPG cylinders and were unaware of the risks.

Walters was served with a Health and Safety Prohibition Notice restricting the number of cylinders which could be stored inside the premises, but subsequent inspections found the notice had been breached.

A separate Improvement Notice required changes to the storage arrangements by May 31, 2025, but suitable measures were not put in place until December.

Walters appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on September 3, where he was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £1,077 towards the council’s costs and a £480 victim surcharge.

Significant risk

The District Judge said that while no one had been harmed, the unsafe storage arrangements had created a significant risk with the potential for serious consequences.

Cllr Ed Stubbs, Cardiff Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for Shared Regulatory Services, said: “Businesses that store LPG cylinders must do so in accordance with strict safety standards to protect employees, customers and neighbouring properties.

“If LPG cylinders were to explode, they can cause significant damage and while fortunately no one was harmed in this case, the court recognised the significant risks created by the storage arrangements found at these premises.

“Shared Regulatory Services will not hesitate to take enforcement action where businesses fail to comply with legal requirements designed to keep people safe.”

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.