COMPRESSED GASSAFETY

OFFICE OFENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

January 2011

LABORATORIESFINE 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

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

University of Nevada at Reno

LABORATORY DESTROYED WHEN LECTURE BOTTLE RUPTURES

RUPTURED HF CYLINDERAT UC SANTA BARBARA

REMAINS OF PICKUP TRUCK ANDRUPTURED LIQUID OXYGEN CYLINDER

OVERFILLED AIR TANK

HAZARDS ASSOCIATEDWITH CYLINDER CONTENTS

DAMAGED CYLINDERS OR CYLINDERS WITH MISSINGOR ILLEGIBLE LABELS SHOULD BE MARKED “CONTENTS UNKNOWN” AND PROMPTLYRETURNED TO THE SUPPLIER.

1. DOT identification number - ex. DOT3AA22652. Cylinder serial number - ex. SG12152A (SG = specialty gas)3. Original owner of the cylinder - ex. APROINC4. Date of original hydrostatic test (month/year)5. Current owner of the cylinder6. Retest markings (month, facility, year, rating, stamp)7. Bar code – unique identifier for computer tracking8. Manufacturer's unique inspection marking9. 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 “DON’TS”

• 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

• 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 !

DO . . .

TRANSPORT WITH CART OR TRUCK CONSTRUCTED

FOR THAT PURPOSE.

TRANSPORT WITHREGULATOR CAPS

IN PLACE !

SECURE CYLINDERFOR TRANSPORT

ANCHOR CYLINDERS IN PLACEWITH STRAPS, CHAIN, OR

SECURED CONTAINER

SECURE IN THE LABORATORY

STANDARD CYLINDER-VALVE OUTLET CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN DEVISED BY THE COMPRESSED GAS ASSOCIATION (CGA) TO PREVENT MIXING OF INCOMPATIBLE GASES.

• VARY IN DIAMETER

• INTERNAL

• EXTERNAL

• RIGHT-HANDED

• LEFT-HANDED.

OUTLET THREADS ARE GAS SPECIFIC

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 TANKCYLINDER VALVES, FITTINGS, OR REGULATOR

MAY CAUSE FIRE OR EXPLOSION !

GASES MAY BE HEAVIER (OR LIGHTER)THAN AIR

BEWARE OF FLAMES, SPARKS, AND ARCS !

CARBON MONOXIDECHLORINECYANOGENHYDROGEN SULFIDENICKEL TETRACARBONYLPHOSPHINE

TOXIC GAS

CLOSE VALVESBE VIGILANT FOR LEAKSMAY NEED TO INSTALL SENSORS

SILANE CYLINDEREXPLOSION

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

MAY COMBUST OR EXPLODEUPON 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 LINECAN TURN INTO A WHIP !

MAKE SURE ALL FITTINGSAND CONNECTIONS ARE TIGHT BEFORECHARGING LINE !

INJURY FROM RING FITTINGEJECTED FROM HIGHPRESSURE LINE

FITTINGS CAN BECOME PROJECTILES

INJECTION INJURIESCAN LEAD TOAMPUTATION

MANY CYLINDER GASESSTORED AT 2500 PSI

100 PSI SUFFICIENT TO PENETRATE HUMAN SKIN

INJURY MAY NOT LOOKSEVERE AT FIRST

IMMEDIATE MEDICALATTENTION 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

• NITROGEN• ARGON• OXYGEN• HELIUM• HYDROGEN

• NITROUS OXIDE• CARBON DIOXIDE• KRYPTON• METHANE• XENON• NEON

CRYOGENIC PRODUCTS STORED IN LIQUID CYLINDERS

CRYOGENIC LIQUIDS MAY BE STORED IN TANKS OR DEWAR FLASKS

DEWAR FLASK

• 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