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Pressurised gas cylinders are a convenient way to transport and store a variety of industrial gases, but, unfortunately, if handled incorrectly a leakage can lead to a serious accident at work, causing injury to the user or passers by and even death.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issues guidelines and advice to help employers and employees follow best practice to avoid workplace accidents and a consequent personal injury compensation claim.
Among the uses for pressurised gases are chemical processes, soldering, welding and flame cutting, breathing (e.g. diving, emergency rescue), medical and laboratory uses, dispensing beverages, fuel for vehicles such as forklift trucks, fire extinguishers, heating and cooking, and in water treatment.
A gas cylinder has to be made with a robust metal casing to withstand the pressurisation of its contents, but, because of that, any force which splits the metal will cause extremely dangerous fragments to fly for a considerable distance, harming everything and everyone in their way.
Other hazards from a damaged cylinder are impact from a rapid release of compressed gas, contact with the released gas or fluid, such as chlorine, and fire resulting from the escape of flammable contents. Slightly less serious incidents could result from cylinders falling or being mis-handled, leading to strain or other injuries.
As with many accidents, the main causes are the result of human error i.e. lack of supervision or training, poor working practices and storage, or faulty equipment, or, less usually, hidden damage to the cylinder.
To reduce the risks of an industrial accident, the HSE guidance says all gas cylinders must be designed and manufactured to an approved standard to withstand everyday use and to prevent danger. They must be initially inspected and periodically examined to ensure they remain safe.
Training is an important element of maintaining safety and anyone who examines, refurbishes, fills or uses a gas cylinder should understand the risks associated with it and its contents.
In particular, new employees should be supervised closely and it should be possible to externally check cylinders and attachments such as valves and regulators to check for dents, bulges, evidence of fire damage and any other marks suggesting that the cylinder might have lost some of its stability.
Valves should only be removed by trained personnel using procedures that ensure either the cylinder is not under pressure or that the valve can be safely removed.
The law requires that gas cylinders are manufactured to an appropriate standard and a written certificate accompanies it to show that it has been inspected. Anyone filling a cylinder should wear appropriate personal safety equipment such as protective shoes, overalls, gloves and ear and eye protection.
For handling and use, the following working practice is recommended:
Much of the advice regarding storage of cylinders is common sense including not keeping them for too long, rotating stocks, protecting them from external heat or water, and storing them away from sources of ignition, other flammable materials or in a position where they could be struck. Containers of flammable gas should not be kept in part of a building used for anything else and all cylinders should be clearly marked with their contents and any potential hazards.
A small amount of inattention when working around gas cylinders can lead to circumstances which might result in a nasty incident so it pays to be aware of the dangers and minimise the possible risks of an accident at work.
