Compressed Gas Safety

Compressed Gases-

General Requirements

Regulations

• MIOSHA Part 12 Welding and Cutting

• MIOSHA Part 56 Storage and Handling

of Liquified Petroleum Gases

• MIOSHA Part 69 Compressed Gases:

Acetylene, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and

Nitrous Oxide

• OSHA 1910 Subpart H – Hazardous

Materials

OSHA STANDARDS

29 CFR 1910 General Industry

Specific OSHA regulations

applying to compressed

gas cylinders

1910.253 Oxygen-fuel gas

welding and cutting

1910.101 Compressed gases

Compressed gas cylinder types

High Pressure Low Pressure

Comparative sizes

Compressed gas cylinder types

High Low Acetylene Cryogenic

> 900PSIG

< 900PSIG ..

..

Fusable

Plug

Fusable

Plug

Porous

Mass

Acetone

Solvent

42%

Volume

Very

Very

Cold

LiquidCO2CL2NO2

AR

O2H2N2

Vapor

Hazards

Pressure related

• Missile hazard

• Shrapnel

• Pressure cutting

Content (hazardous material precautions)

• Flammable

• Toxic

• Corrosive

• Asphyxiant

Inspection of compressed

gas cylinders

• Each employer shall

determine thatcompressed gas cylinders under his

control are in a safe condition to the extent that this can be determined by visual inspection...

Compressed

gas industry

safety

information

directs end

users to

examine

any

cylindersreceived

Gas suppliers advise end

users to• Check cylinders as

they are received

• Verify that labels, tags and shipping papers are appropriate

• Reject and return

cylinders with obvious damage

• Determine that required

caps and plugs are in place

9

Cylinder Markings

(a) Inspection of

compressed gas

cylinders…

…visual and other

inspections (per

DOT 49 CFR 171 –

179 and CGA C-6

& C- 8)

1910.101 - Compressed gases

General requirements

Applicable to

Suppliers

and

distributorsfilling compressed

gas

cylinders

Bulges Cylinders are manufactured with reasonably symmetrical shape. Cylinder which have definite bulges shall be removed from service

Compressed Gas Association Inc.CGA C-6 1968

Bulged -

cylinder wall

failure

Charring or burning of paintBurning or scarfing of the metal

Distortion of the cylinderMelted out fuse plugs

Burning or melting of valve

Fire DamageCylinders shall be carefully inspected for evidence of exposure to fire

Compressed Gas Association Inc.CGA C-6 1968

Cylinder burst

after fire

exposure

Burn

Gouge with

deposit of weld

metal

Gouge

CutReducing wall

thickness -

increasing

stress

General

corrosion with

pitting -

reducing

cylinder

strength

101(b) "Compressed gases."

The in-plant handling,storage, and utilization of all

compressed gases in cylinders,

portable tanks, rail tankcars, or

motor vehicle cargo tanks shall

be in accordance with

Compressed Gas

Association

Pamphlet P-1-1965

Pamphlet P - 1 1965

• 1910.101(b)

• The in-plant handling storage and utilization of all

compressed gases in

cylinders…shall be in

accordance with

Compressed Gas

Association

• Pamphlet P-1 1965...This includes

most

industrial and

commercial

facilities

Never tamper with the

safety relief devices in

valves or cylinders

Never attempt to repair or

to alter cylinders, valves, or

safety relief devices.

Use Compatible Regulators

General

Never use cylinders

as rollers, supports, or for any purpose other than

to contain the content as

received

General

Big &

heavy

Keep cylinder valve closed at all times, except when the cylinder is in active use.

Notify owner of cylinder if any condition has occurred which might permit any

foreign substance to enter the cylinder or valve giving details and cylinder serial number.

General

Verify Valve Closure

22

Do not place cylinders where they might become part of an electric circuit.

When the cylinders are used in conjunction with electric

welding, precautions must be taken against accidentally groundingcompressed gas cylinders and allowing them to be burned by electric welding arc.

General

Insulator

• Caps in place

• Lifting

• Dropping

• Lifting with magnets

• Dragging

Moving Cylinders

Do not lift cylinders by the

cap.

Never drop cylinders nor

permit them to strike against

each other or against other

surfaces violently.

Moving Cylinders

Concrete

Never handle a

cylinder with a lifting

magnet.

Avoid dragging or

sliding cylinders.

Electro-magnet

Moving Cylinders

Use suitable hand

truck, fork truck, roll

platform or similar

device with

cylinder firmly

secured for transporting and

unloading. !

Construction Lift Rig

28

Storing Cylinders

• Ventilation

• Posting

• Separation (different types)

• Separation (charged & empty)

• Storage rooms

• Highly flammable substances

• Avoid dampness

• Protection of cylinders

• High Temperature

?

Storage

30

Properly Secured

31

Storing Cylinders

Do not store

cylinders near

highly flammable

substances such

as oil, gasoline or

waste.

Fire is a

threat to

containment!

MEK

Storing Cylinders

Protect

cylinders from any object that will

produce a cut or

other abrasion in

the surface of the

metal….

Storing Cylinders Cont’d

Do not storecylinders near

elevators or

gangways, or in

locations where

heavy moving

objects may

strike or fall on them….

?

Proper nesting

supports all

cylinders by

contact at

three points

At gas manufacturers and

distributors not user work

sites, proper nesting is considered safe storage by the

compressed gas industry.

?

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

• Handling

• Identification

• Removing cap

• Properly

supported

• Pressure

regulating

devices

• Connections

If cylinder content is not identified by

marking, return cylinder to the

supplier without using.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

I’m not

labeled!

!

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

Before using a

cylinder,

be sure it is

properly

supportedto prevent it from

being knocked

over.

Suitable pressure

regulating

devices must be used in all cases

where gas is

admitted to systems

having pressure

rating limitations

lower than the

cylinder pressure.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

Never force

connections.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

Where compressed gas cylinders are connected

to a manifold, such a manifold and its related equipment, such as regulators, must be of

proper design.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

F – Flash arrestor chamber

G – Escape pipe

H – Cylinder

connection pipe

J – Check valve

and drain plug

K – Acetylene cylinders

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

J

KK

H

Stationary acetylene cylinder manifold and other equipment

A – Line valve

B – Release valve

C – Filler plug

D – Header pipe

E - Regulator

Regulators, gages, hoses and other appliances provided for use with a particular gas or group of gases must not be used on cylinders containing gases having

different chemical properties unless information obtained from the supplier indicates that this can be done safely.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

Acetylene

regulator and

oxygen cylinders

• Open cylinder valve slowly. Point the valve opening away from yourself and other persons.

• Never use wrenches or tools except those provided or approved by the gas manufacturer.

• Avoid the use of a wrench on valves equipped with handwheels.

• Never hammer the valve wheel in attempting to open or close the valve.

• For valves that are hard to open, or frozen because of corrosion, contact the supplier for instructions.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

• Never use compressed gases

where the cylinder is apt to be

contaminated by the feedback

of process materials unless

protected by suitable traps or

check valves.

• Before a regulator is removed

from a cylinder, close the

cylinder valve and release all

pressure from the regulator.

Withdrawing Cylinder Content

Indoor cylinder storage

• No ignition sources

• Well ventilated

• Dry

• Twenty feet from flammable or combustible materials

20 Feet

Fuel

Gas

Flammable Gases

O

x

y

g

e

n

Do not store cylinders near

highly flammable solvents,

combustible waste material

and similar substances, or

near unprotected electrical

connections, gas flames or

other sources of ignition.

Flammable Gases

Never use a flame to detect flammable gas

leaks.

Use soapy water.

Flammable Gases

Flammable gases must be stored > 20 feet

away from cylinders containing oxygen.

Flammable Gases

Fuel

GasFuel

GasO

x

y

g

e

n

Personnel handling and using poison gases should have approved gas masks or SCBA available for immediate use

Use PPE appropriate to the hazard

Poison Gases

51

Cryogenic Liquids

• Safety glasses

• Face shield

• Loose fitting clothes

• Loose fitting insulated

gloves

• Be aware of

expansion hazards

Questions?

Acetylene cylindersThe decomposition characteristics

of acetylene gas are avoided:

• By providing a porous masspacking material with minute cellular spaces

• No pockets of appreciable size remain where “free” acetylene in gaseous form can collect

• This porous mass is saturated with acetone, or other suitable solvent, in which the gaseous acetylene actually dissolves

..

..

Fusable

Plug

Fusable

Plug

Porous

Mass

Acetone

Solvent

42%

Volume

Acetylene cylindersThese two features – porous filler and

solvent

Allows acetylene to be contained at

moderate pressure without danger of explosive decomposition

Maximum cylinder pressure is 250

PSIG at 70 degrees F. with a variation of about 2.5 PSI rise or fall for each

degree rise or fall in temperature

Do not exceed 15 PSI pressure

on free acetylene..

..

Fusable

Plug

Fusable

Plug

Porous

Mass

Acetone

Solvent

42%

Volume

"Compressed gas" means:2.3…any material or mixture of gases having in a

container either an absolute pressure

exceeding 40 psi at 70 deg. F. or

an absolute pressure exceeding 104

psi at 130 deg. F or both or

any liquid flammable material having a

Reid vapor pressure exceeding 40 psi

absolute at 100 deg. FSee other definitions at 49 CFR 173.115

29 CFR 1910.1200