COMPRESSED GAS SAFETY - University of Arkansas

1 COMPRESSED GASSAFETYOFFICE OFENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETYUNIVERSITY OF ARKANSASJ anuary 2011 LABORATORIESFINE ARTS STUDIOSSHOPSGAS CYLINDERS MAY BE ..REFILLABLENON-REFILLABLE SMALL CYLINDERS 2-3 INCHES IN DIAMETER 12-18 INCHES IN HEIGHT DISPOSABLEMAY BE: TOXIC CORROSIVE FLAMMABLE!PHYSICALCHEMICALRADIOLOGICALBI OLOGICAL*SOME COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE*NOT USUALLY FOUND IN COMPRESSED GASES, BUT GASES CAN GENERATE INFECTIOUS AEROSOLSHole 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 = this web site for story and additional photographs. of Nevada at RenoLABORATORY DESTROYED WHEN LECTURE BOTTLE RUPTURESRUPTURED HF CYLINDERAT UC SANTA BARBARA REMAINS OF PICKUP TRUCK ANDRUPTURED LIQUID OXYGEN CYLINDEROVERFILLED AIR TANKHAZARDS ASSOCIATEDWITH CYLINDER CONTENTSDAMAGED CYLINDERS OR CYLINDERS WITH MISSINGOR ILLEGIBLE LABELS SHOULD BE MARKED CONTENTS UNKNOWN AND PROMPTLYRETURNED TO THE identification number -ex.

2 Serial number -ex. SG12152A (SG = specialty gas) owner of the cylinder -ex. of original hydrostatic test (month/year) owner of the markings (month, facility, year, rating, stamp) code unique identifier for computer 's unique inspection tare weight Must also identify contents Typically a sticker near the neck THE ONLYACCEPTABLE 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 IDENTIFICATIONSTORAGE 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 !

3 DO ..TRANSPORT WITH CART OR TRUCK CONSTRUCTEDFOR THAT WITHREGULATOR CAPSIN PLACE !SECURE CYLINDERFOR TRANSPORTANCHOR CYLINDERS IN PLACEWITH STRAPS, CHAIN, ORSECURED CONTAINERSECURE IN THE LABORATORYSTANDARD 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 SPECIFICATTACHING THE REGULATOR ALL VALVES CLOSED INSERT SCREW INTO TANK HAND TIGHT, THEN WRENCH SLOWLY OPEN VALVES CHECK FOR LEAKSSUPPORTS AND ACCELERATES COMBUSTIONNEVER USE OIL OR GREASE ON AN OXYGEN TANKCYLINDER VALVES, FITTINGS, OR REGULATOR MAY CAUSE FIRE OR EXPLOSION !GASES MAY BE HEAVIER (OR LIGHTER)THAN AIRBEWARE OF FLAMES, SPARKS, AND ARCS !CARBON MONOXIDECHLORINECYANOGENHYDROGEN SULFIDENICKEL TETRACARBONYLPHOSPHINETOXIC GASCLOSE VALVESBE VIGILANT FOR LEAKSMAY NEED TO INSTALL SENSORSSILANE CYLINDEREXPLOSIONUNIVERSITY OF ARIZONAMAY COMBUST OR EXPLODEUPON CONTACT WITH AIR CLOSE VALVES BLEED SYSTEM REMOVE REGULATOR REPLACE VALVE CAP MARK AS EMPTY RETURN TO SUPPLIERHIGH PRESSURE LINESWHIPPING INJURIESINJECTION INJURIESA PRESSURIZED LINECAN TURN INTO A WHIP !

4 MAKE SURE ALL FITTINGSAND CONNECTIONS ARE TIGHT BEFORECHARGING LINE !INJURY FROM RING FITTINGEJECTED FROM HIGHPRESSURE LINEFITTINGS CAN BECOME PROJECTILESINJECTION INJURIESCAN LEAD TOAMPUTATIONMANY CYLINDER GASESSTORED AT 2500 PSI100 PSISUFFICIENT TO PENETRATE HUMAN SKININJURY MAY NOT LOOKSEVERE AT FIRSTIMMEDIATE 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 OXIDIZERPERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) FULL FACE SHIELD LOOSE FITTING GLOVES PROTECTIVE CLOTHINGFROSTBITE 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 FLASKSDEWAR FLASK INSPECT ALL INCOMING CRYO-CONTAINERS FOR DAMAGE USE SPECIFIC NAMES.

5 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