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SAFETY BULLETIN / July - September 2005
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Compressed Gas Cylinders - by John Webb, Safety Specialist
Through many jobsite inspections this year I have seen compressed gases being used in many aspects of construction work. Their use is for powering equipment, soldering pipe, and most of all cutting material. As I look back through my inspections I have also noticed that I have cited violations of compressed gas cylinder more than anything else. This is an alarming concern, so I thought that it would be a good idea to go over a couple areas of concern that could be beneficial to us all.

The fist area of concern is the storage of compressed gas cylinders.
  • All compressed gas cylinders must be stored in the upright position and secured to prevent them from falling over, even when they are empty.
  • All compressed gas cylinders must be labeled with the correct D.O.T. labeling.
  • Oxygen and Acetylene should be stored at least 20 feet apart, or be separated by a 5 foot fire wall.
  • The valves should be in the off position at all times when not in use.

The second area of concern is safety when using compressed gases.

  • Make sure that all employees are wearing the proper personal protective equipment. Proper PPE will help reduce any injuries that may occur.
  • Remove all flammables and combustibles from the working area. Removing flammables and combustibles will decrease the risk of a fire breaking out. If flammables and combustibles cannot be removed, cover them with fire blankets.
  • Always have a properly trained fire watch present. Having a trained fire watch present during working activities will greatly reduce the risk of any damage that could be cause by a fire. The fire watch should be trained in the proper use of fire extinguishers and they should be able to extinguish a fire when it is in the incipient stage. Fire watches should also understand that if the fire gets out of control they should not attempt to extinguish the fire using the fire extinguisher, they should use the extinguisher to get to safety.
  • Only employees that know how to safely handle compressed gas cylinders should use compressed gas cylinders. The risk of an accident will greatly reduce if experienced employees are using the compressed gases.

I hope this assists in your company safety and on your safety inspections.

 
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