There are no existing regulations or standards for the manufacture of LPG gas cylinders or importation of regulators and hoses, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Agency (OSHA) executive director, Carolyn Sancho.

LPG producers have blamed faulty regulators and hoses for the recent spate of fatal explosions in homes, which have now claimed four lives since April. A visit to several hardware and appliance stores in San Fernando revealed the variety of these accessories on the market. Ranging from as little as $60 to as much as $150, these regulators were easily available for public purchase. Many carried two varieties: a classic flip-top style or one with a dial to hone in on how much gas is let through.

Their boxes are bland and easy to miss on a shelf. On the back of some were instructions on how to properly fit it to the LPG cylinder. But absent from the packaging was any credible indication that they adhered to international regulatory guidelines except one costing $75 which said it met "Gemany (sic) standards," and was a "salety (sic) type."