HealthandSafety Executive

Divingcylinders:Guidanceoninternalcorrosion,
fittingvalvesandfilling

HSEinformationsheet
Introduction
Thisdivinginformationsheetispartofaseriesof informationsheetsprovidingguidanceondivingat work.Theinformationisalsorelevanttothe recreationaldivingsector. Itdetailsthehazardsofinternalcorrosionindiving cylindersandprovidesguidanceonprecautionsto minimisethechanceofsuchcorrosionoccurring.In addition,guidanceontheappropriatestandardstobe employedduringthefittingofvalvesandthe precautionstobetakenduringcylinderfillingis provided. DivingInformationSheetNo10

Ifthereisanychanceofwaterhavingentereda cylinderitisstronglyrecommendedthatitissubmitted toaninternalvisualinspectioninaccordancewith BSEN18021 orBSEN19682 beforerefilling.

Fittingcylindervalves
Cylindervalvesshouldalwaysbefittedbypersons whoarecompetenttodosoandinaccordancewith themanufacturersinstructions. Itisrecommendedthattheproceduresdetailedin ISO133413 areusedforfittingcylindervalves.Itis notedthatthescopeofthisstandardexcludesdiving gascylinders.However,asthereisnoother appropriatestandardthetorquevaluesstatedinthis standardshouldbeusedunlessthemanufacturer statesadifferentvalue. Itisalsorecommendedthatcylindersareinternally examinedinaccordancewithBSEN1802or BSEN1968beforefittingvalves.Thiswillensurethat anycontaminants,moisture orcorrosionpresentare identifiedandeliminatedbefore thecylinderisclosed bythevalve. There havebeenanumberofcaseswhere cylinder valvesmanufacturedtotheENstandard(EN14414) are beingfittedtocylinderswheretheneckformisto theDINstandard (DIN47765) andviceversa.Mixing thesestandardsisconsideredunsoundengineering practice.

Cylinderinternalcorrosion
Researchhasshownthatcorrosionratesinsidediving cylinderscanbesignificantlyfasterthancorrosion ratesinairatatmosphericpressure.Theamountof waterneededtoproducethiscorrosionisverysmall andmightnotbeenoughtobeidentifiedbytheuser, forexamplebyshaking.Thespeedandextentofthis internalcorrosionhasbeensufficienttocausesome affectedcylinderstoleakand,inonecase,fail catastrophicallyduringfilling.Manyofthesecylinders havebeenindateforperiodicinspection(2.5years) andexternallyappeartohavebeeninverygood condition. Topreventthiscorrosionitisimportantthatthe followingprecautionsaretakentominimisethe chanceofwaterentry:
Avoidemptyingcylindersunderwater. Donotchargecylinders(suchasdelayedsurface

Cylinderfilling
Cylinderfillingshouldonlybeconductedbya competentpersonwhoshouldwearappropriate personalprotectiveequipment(forexample,eyeand hearingprotection). There isariskofinjuryfromhighpressureflexible hosesifthereisafailureofthehoseorcylinderfittings duringthechargingprocess.Inaccordancewith BritishCompressedGasesAssociation(BCGA)Code ofPracticeNo46 andHSEpublicationCompressedair
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markerbuoycylinders)thathavebeenemptied underwaterbydecantingfromanothercylinder waterfromtheemptycylindermayenterthe chargingcylinderduringtheprocess. Beforeconnectingacylindertoachargingwhip, momentarilycrackopenthecylindervalveandgas supplyvalvetoblowoutanymoistureatthe connectioninterface.

HealthandSafety Executive

safety HSG39,7 it isrecommendedthatcharging whipsarefittedwitharestraininglinetominimisethis risk.

Thisdocumentisavailablewebonlyat: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/dvis10.pdf. CrowncopyrightThispublicationmaybefreely reproduced,exceptforadvertising,endorsementor commercialpurposes.Firstpublished12/07.Please acknowledgethesourceasHSE.

References
1 BSEN1802:2002Transportablegascylinders. Periodicinspectionandtestingofseamlessaluminium alloygascylinders BritishStandardsInstitution 2 BSEN1968:2002Transportablegascylinders. Periodicinspectionandtestingofseamlesssteelgas cylinders BritishStandardsInstitution 3 BSENISO13341:1998Transportablegas cylinders.FittingofvalvestogascylindersBritish StandardsInstitution 4 BSEN1441:2000Respiratoryprotectivedevices. Gascylindervalves.Threadconnectionsforinsert connectorBritishStandardsInstitution 5 DIN4776:March1983Gascylindervalvesfortest pressuresupto300barand450bar;withcylindrical threadforvalvestemandgascylinderneckfor breathingapparatusSizesThreads Deutsches InstitutfrNormung1983 6 IndustrialGasCylinderManifoldsandGas DistributionPipework(excludingacetylene)Codeof PracticeCP4BritishCompressedGasesAssociation 2005 7 Compressedairsafety HSG39(Secondedition) HSEBooks1998ISBN9780717615315

Furtherinformation
HSEpricedandfreepublicationsareavailablebymail orderfromHSEBooks,POBox1999,Sudbury, SuffolkCO102WA Tel:01787881165Fax:01787 313995Website:www.hsebooks.co.uk(HSEpriced publicationsarealsoavailablefrombookshopsand freeleafletscanbedownloadedfromHSEs website: www.hse.gov.uk.) ForinformationabouthealthandsafetyringHSEs InfolineTel:08453450055Fax:08454089566 Textphone:08454089577email: hse.infoline@natbrit.comorwritetoHSEInformation Services,CaerphillyBusinessPark,CaerphillyCF833GG. Thisdocumentcontainsnotesongoodpractice whicharenotcompulsorybutwhichyoumayfind helpfulinconsideringwhatyouneedtodo.

PrintedandpublishedbytheHealthandSafetyExecutive

DVIS10

12/07

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