Gas Cylinder Storage Can Be External Or Internal
Gas cylinder storage should always be undertaken in secured, well-ventilated enclosures. If handled correctly, in general using gas cylinders is safe. Safety glasses, gloves and shoes should be worn at all times when handling cylinders and appropriate fire fighting, personnel safety and first aid equipment should be available in case of emergencies. If the previous measures aren't adhered to, there is the potential for a serious accident. Likewise, if there is inappropriate gas cylinder storage measures taken and the gas cylinder or the attachments are not treated properly then dangerous situations may arise.
Gas Cylinder Storage
Compressed gas cylinders, which store potentially hazardous compressed gas at very high pressures, can be dangerous if handled incorrectly or exposed to extreme heat or pressure. However, gas cylinder storage can be safe both indoors and outdoors if the correct measures are observed.
Outside Storage
- In outside storage, gas cylinders should be stored in secure and well ventilated areas with a door or gate that can be locked when the area is not in use.
- And therefore the door or gate that the gas cylinders are stored behind should always be locked when in use.
- Gas cylinder storage differs for cylinders that have been used and gas cylinders that still contain gas and the two should therefore always be stored separately and the enclosures must be properly labelled.
- Outdoor storage should be above grade, dry and protected from the weather.
Inside Storage
- Gas cylinder storage inside of enclosed buildings is best against or near to an external wall. This is particularly true of flammable or explosive gases, like those found in welding gas cylinders.
- Cylinders must always be secured to a wall, suitable furniture or a gas cylinder cart.
- Acetylene cylinders must be kept upright and if circumstance dictates that they need to be stored horizontally, then they should not be used for 12 hours after they have been brought out of storage.
- Cylinder stock should be rotated so that older cylinders are used first and like with external gas cylinder storage, cylinders containing pressurised gas should be kept separate from empty ones.
- Oxygen and flammable gas cylinders should be separated by a wall or at least 6 metres.
Cylinder Transportation
When moving cylinders out of storage, always use hand trucks or carts (there are small gas cylinder carts available for tight areas) that are designed for this purpose. During transportation, cylinders should be properly secured to prevent them from falling or striking each other. Always use a cylinder cart equipped with a chain restraint. Do not move a cylinder with a regulator connected to it. Never transport a gas cylinder without its valve protection cap firmly in place. Keep both hands on the cylinder cart during transport.
Gas Cylinder Conclusion
- In conclusion, gas cylinder storage should be in a ventilated and well-lit area away from combustible materials.
- In storage, gases should be separated by type and stored in assigned locations that can be readily identified.
- Cylinders containing flammable gases should be separately stored from oxygen cylinders and other oxidants, by a fire-resistant wall (having a fire-resistance rating of at least a half-hour) or locate them at least 20 feet (6.1 meters) apart from each other.
- Poison, cryogenic and inert gases should be stored separately.
Labels, decals or other cylinder content identification should not be obscured or removed from the gas cylinder. Cylinders should also be stored where they can be protected from tampering by unauthorized personnel. Remember to always follow gas cylinder storage guidelines, as these can prevent serious accidents.
