Safety of Gas Cylinders

Presentation by Philip Gallimore Media

Representative for IOSH North Staffs
and South Cheshire District Feb 2014

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 Some gases you may
know
• Air gases: oxygen, nitrogen and argon
• Rare gases: helium, krypton, xenon and
neon
• Hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrous oxide
• Acetylene, methane and propane
 Production of Gases
• Air gases (oxygen, nitrogen and argon)
are mostly produced at cryogenic
temperature in “Air Separation Units“. In
smaller quantities and lower qualities other
technologies (Pressure Swing Adsorption
or membranes) are used to produce
oxygen and nitrogen at the customer sites.
 Future innovations-
• Healthier Life: food preservation, hygiene,
new medical gases and aerosol therapy
• Communicating World: electronics and
semiconductors, optoelectronics
• Sustainable Environment: clean
energies, waste control, more efficient
processes
 Supply by cylinders
• Smaller quantities of gases are
supplied in gas or liquid cylinders.
• Around 100 million cylinders are in
circulation worldwide.
 Gases in Cylinders
• Gases
– Over 130 individual gases and liquids
are packaged in cylinders
• Gas mixtures
– Infinite variety of mixtures varying from PPB to
percent concentrations
– Components from 2 to >50
 Three Types of Packaged Gases
• Gases are packaged into cylinders in a
variety of ways
– Compressed Gas ( e.g. Nitrogen)
– Liquid and gas ( e.g. Carbon Dioxide)
– Gas in solution ( Acetylene Only)
 Transport classes for gases is
simplest:
Gases are all UN class 2 substances
• FLAMMABLE 2.1

• NON-FLAMMABLE 2.2

• TOXIC / CORROSIVE 2.3

 Flammable Gases
• Acetylene

• Hydrogen

• Propane
 Non-Flammable Gases
• Nitrogen
• Argon
• Helium
• Carbon Dioxide
• Oxygen
 Toxic Gases

Chlorine
Hydrogen Chloride
Ammonia
Hazards relating to Cylinder Gases
• Weight
• Pressure
• Gas properties
Cylinder Weight

Cylinder construction
means that cylinders
are heavy even when
empty!
Construction of Gas Cylinders

High Pressure Cylinders Low Pressure Cylinders

Acetylene and LPG
 Handling - Moving Cylinders

Lift by hand
using valve Roll cylinder on Churn by valve
guard (10 litre solid clean floor guard (110 litre
cylinders) (50 litre cylinder) cylinders)
 Ideally use a Cylinder Trolley

Secure Cylinder
in trolley with
chain, strap or
bar
Manual Handling Hazards
Traps -
Falling Cylinders Pressure

Never attempt to catch

a falling cylinder

WEAR
 Cylinder Identification
• Because the colours can be confusing
• The only way to identify a gas cylinder is
by its label
 Marking and Labelling of
Cylinders
• Hazard Label
• Gas

• UN Number

• Mass of cylinder and

Tare weight

• Date of next
Inspection
 Pressure is the Hazard which is
common to all Compressed Gases
• Pressure is stored energy
• Some units of Pressure are
– Pounds per Square Inch or PSI
– Bar

• Atmospheric Pressure is the pressure on the

earth created by the gases above us
• Modern cylinders typically are supplied with
200bar pressure and some are 300bar
Valve - used to control gas into
and out of Cylinder

CO2
Bursting
Disc

Relief Valve on LPG

Hole reduced to 4mm

 Using the gas - Connections
Seals on Dome

Seals on Washer

Left Hand thread for Flammable Gases -note cuts in nut

Right Hand thread for Non Flammable Gases
Make connections hand tight and then secure with spanner
Ensure connecting pipe work is rated for pressure required
 Pressure Regulator

Some cylinders have the pressure regulator built into the valve so you
don’t need a separate regulator
Summary of Use

•Check Label
•Access the valve outlet
•Check sealing faces for dirt,
oil, damage
•Fit Pressure Regulator (finger
tight then 1/4 -1/2 turn with
spanner)
Welding Set up
 Welding Gases
Oxygen - never allow oil or grease to come into contact with valve
outlet or fittings.
- never use equipment not cleaned or
designed for oxygen service.
Acetylene - if the cylinder is involved in a fire or has suffered a
flashback and NO flashback arrestor fitted then the
cylinder could suffer acetylene decomposition.
- if an acetylene cylinder becomes hot or starts to vibrate
then evacuate the building immediately.
- call the Fire Brigade they have procedures for dealing with
acetylene in fires
- New requirement that all acetylene cylinders must be fitted
with flashback arrestors and non return valves
 Backfire and Flashback
Backfire is when flame burns back into the blowpipe often with a loud bang.
Caused by blocked nozzle or holding torch too close to work piece.
Remedy switch off and examine nozzle.
Flashback is when one gas enters the other hose and then ignites causing
damage to the equipment.
Caused by incorrect purge of equipment
Remedy proper training and the fitting of flashback arrestors.
10L CO cylinder explosion
Praxair Fire 2005
Tyre fire on vehicle carrying
LPG cylinders
 Emergency Procedures

All the major Industrial Gases suppliers operate a 24/7 Contact Point in the
event that a cylinder is involved in an incident or accident. Please contact Your
supplier.

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bcga.co.uk
• Produces documents
for users e.g.
• RA for oxy ace use
• Leaflets on carriage
etc
• Go and look for
yourself!
Thank You

The End