COMPRESSED GAS

SAFETY
OFFICE OF

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
January 2011

LABORATORIES
FINE ARTS STUDIOS

SHOPS

GAS CYLINDERS MAY BE . . .

REFILLABLE

NON-REFILLABLE

 SMALL CYLINDERS
2-3 INCHES IN DIAMETER
12-18 INCHES IN HEIGHT
DISPOSABLE
MAY BE:

TOXIC
CORROSIVE
FLAMMABLE

PHYSICAL
CHEMICAL
RADIOLOGICAL
BIOLOGICAL*
SOME COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE

NOT USUALLY FOUND IN COMPRESSED GASES, BUT

GASES CAN GENERATE INFECTIOUS AEROSOLS

Hole in a concrete floor

made by a cryogenic gas
storage cylinder that
ruptured its bottom and
jetted upward through the
ceiling and into the room
above. The gas discharge
also blew out the walls of
the lab where the tank was
stored.

CYLINDER = TORPEDO
http://www.ehs.okstate.edu/modules/cylinder/Theone_story.htm

University of Nevada at Reno

LABORATORY DESTROYED WHEN LECTURE BOTTLE RUPTURES

See this web site for story and additional photographs.
http://www.ehs.uci.edu/salerts/sep2000_lab_explosion.pdf

RUPTURED HF CYLINDER
AT UC SANTA BARBARA

REMAINS OF PICKUP TRUCK AND

RUPTURED LIQUID OXYGEN CYLINDER

OVERFILLED AIR TANK

HAZARDS ASSOCIATED
WITH CYLINDER CONTENTS

DAMAGED CYLINDERS OR CYLINDERS WITH MISSING

OR ILLEGIBLE LABELS SHOULD BE MARKED
CONTENTS UNKNOWN AND PROMPTLY
RETURNED TO THE SUPPLIER.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

DOT identification number - ex. DOT3AA2265

Cylinder serial number - ex. SG12152A (SG = specialty gas)
Original owner of the cylinder - ex. APROINC
Date of original hydrostatic test (month/year)
Current owner of the cylinder
Retest markings (month, facility, year, rating, stamp)
Bar code unique identifier for computer tracking
Manufacturer's unique inspection marking
Cylinder tare weight

 Must also identify contents

Typically a sticker near the neck
THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE ID FOR NON-MEDICAL GRADE GASES!
Only five medical grade gases are permitted color ID
All others not required to be color-coded
Color codes may vary from one supplier to another.

NFPA HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

STORAGE DONTS

DO NOT STORE IN EXIT OR EGRESS ROUTES

AVOID EXPOSURE TO WEATHER
AVOID HEAT SOURCES, DAMP AREAS
AVOID SALT, CORROSIVE FUMES
DO NOT STORE UNUSED CYLINDERS LONGER THAN ONE YEAR

DO . . .
STORE IN ORDER RECEIVED
STORE IN UPRIGHT POSITION
SECURE WITH CHAINS OR APPROVED BRACKETS
STORE CYLINDERS CAPPED
SEGREGATE ACCORDING TO COMPATIBILITY
20+ FT FROM COMBUSTIBLE OR INCOMPATIBLE MATERIALS
SEGREGATE FILLED FROM EMPTY CYLINDERS
SECURE FROM PUBLIC TAMPERING !

TRANSPORT WITH
REGULATOR CAPS
IN PLACE !
TRANSPORT WITH CART
OR TRUCK CONSTRUCTED
FOR THAT PURPOSE.

SECURE CYLINDER
FOR TRANSPORT

SECURE IN THE LABORATORY

ANCHOR CYLINDERS IN PLACE
WITH STRAPS, CHAIN, OR
SECURED CONTAINER

STANDARD CYLINDER-VALVE OUTLET CONNECTIONS

HAVE BEEN DEVISED BY THE COMPRESSED GAS
ASSOCIATION (CGA) TO PREVENT MIXING OF
INCOMPATIBLE GASES.

OUTLET THREADS ARE GAS SPECIFIC

VARY IN DIAMETER
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
RIGHT-HANDED
LEFT-HANDED.

ATTACHING THE REGULATOR

ALL VALVES CLOSED
INSERT SCREW INTO TANK
HAND TIGHT, THEN WRENCH
SLOWLY OPEN VALVES
CHECK FOR LEAKS

SUPPORTS AND ACCELERATES COMBUSTION

NEVER USE OIL OR GREASE ON AN OXYGEN TANK

CYLINDER VALVES, FITTINGS, OR REGULATOR
MAY CAUSE FIRE OR EXPLOSION !

GASES MAY BE HEAVIER (OR LIGHTER)THAN AIR

BEWARE OF FLAMES, SPARKS, AND ARCS !

CLOSE VALVES
BE VIGILANT FOR LEAKS
MAY NEED TO INSTALL SENSORS

TOXIC GAS

CARBON MONOXIDE
CHLORINE
CYANOGEN
HYDROGEN SULFIDE
NICKEL TETRACARBONYL
PHOSPHINE

SILANE CYLINDER
EXPLOSION
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

MAY COMBUST OR EXPLODE

UPON CONTACT WITH AIR

 CLOSE VALVES
BLEED SYSTEM
REMOVE REGULATOR
REPLACE VALVE CAP
MARK AS EMPTY
RETURN TO SUPPLIER

HIGH PRESSURE LINES

WHIPPING INJURIES
INJECTION INJURIES

A PRESSURIZED LINE
CAN TURN INTO A WHIP !
MAKE SURE ALL FITTINGS
AND CONNECTIONS
ARE TIGHT BEFORE
CHARGING LINE !

FITTINGS CAN BECOME PROJECTILES

INJURY FROM RING FITTING

EJECTED FROM HIGH
PRESSURE LINE

INJECTION INJURIES
CAN LEAD TO
AMPUTATION
MANY CYLINDER GASES
STORED AT 2500 PSI
100 PSI SUFFICIENT TO
PENETRATE HUMAN SKIN
INJURY MAY NOT LOOK
SEVERE AT FIRST
IMMEDIATE MEDICAL
ATTENTION REQUIRED !

CRYOGENIC MATERIALS
LIQUIDS (LOW PRESSURE)
LIQUIFIED GASES (HIGH PRESSURE)
EXTREMELY COLD
DAMAGE EQUAL TO THIRD DEGREE BURN
ASPHYXIATION HAZARD
RAPID VOLUME EXPANSION
MUST BE PROPERLY VENTED
INERT, FLAMMABLE, OR OXIDIZER

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT (PPE)
FULL FACE SHIELD
LOOSE FITTING GLOVES
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

FROSTBITE FROM
LIQUID NITROGEN

CRYOGENIC PRODUCTS STORED IN LIQUID CYLINDERS

NITROGEN
ARGON
OXYGEN
HELIUM
HYDROGEN

NITROUS OXIDE
CARBON DIOXIDE
KRYPTON
METHANE
XENON
NEON

DEWAR FLASK

CRYOGENIC LIQUIDS MAY BE STORED IN TANKS OR DEWAR FLASKS

 INSPECT ALL INCOMING CRYO-CONTAINERS FOR DAMAGE

USE SPECIFIC NAMES; e.g. LIQUID OXYGEN NOT LIQUID AIR
COVER DEWAR FLASKS WITH LOOSE FITTING CAPS
USE ONLY STOPPERS SUPPLIED WITH CONTAINERS
DO NOT STORE COMBUSTIBLES OR OXIDIZERS IN GLASS
DO NOT PERMIT ICE TO FORM IN NECK OF THE FLASK

 STORE VESSELS IN DRY AREAS

INSULATE VESSELS FROM HEAT SOURCES
NO LIQUID OXYGEN ON ASPHALT, OIL-SOAKED GRAVEL, WOOD
USE CONCRETE OR CLEAN GRAVEL UNDER STORAGE AREAS
STORE ALL CONTAINERS IN WELL-VENTILATED AREAS
HANDLE CONTAINERS CAREFULLY
AVOID ROLLING, DROPPING, OR TIPPING

 WHEN TRANSFERING LIQUIDS, COOL RECEIVING FLASK FIRST

FILL SLOWLY TO CHILLING RECEIVING CONTAINER
POUR LIQUIDS USING ONLY APPROVED FILLING DEVICES
USE ONLY CONTAINERS DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE