It should clearly (or likely) be the other way around, at least in any country with a left-to-right reading order, OCD or not :)
We scan information faster in the preferred reading direction, and flipping the warning gas on half a second earlier will likely, sooner or later save somebody from harm. Not that there aren't other ways to improve safety in mines, but each small part counts, I guess?
If you search for "stench gas" you will find some... interesting photos of the control panel for these systems:
http://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1686/24201183892_c8a2dffc3b_h.j...
(Something about buttons marked "release stench gas" and "release anti-stench gas" seem amusing in a rather comical fashion.)