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Guidelines for securing cylinders
Restrain compressed gas cylinders securely with a chain,
belt or stand at all times to prevent them from falling over.
If a cylinder falls, it may shear off its valve, and the
escaping high-pressure gas has been known to propel the cylinder
like an unguided rocket. It can smash through masonry walls,
go long distances and ricochet.
Secure the cylinder above its center of gravity (~2/3 up
the cylinder). If the chain or belt is too low or too high,
it will not hold the cylinder if it starts to fall. The chain
should not be around the neck of the cylinder, since the
cylinder could slide under the chain. The chain should not
hang below the mid point of a cylinder, since it could topple
over the chain.
Protect the cylinder valve with a securely attached valve
cap whenever a cylinder is being moved, and at all other
times unless a regulator is attached to the cylinder.
Store flammable gases separately from oxygen and combustible
materials by at least 20 feet. Highly toxic (health rating
4) and pyrophoric gases, and nitrous oxide, should be stored
secured from unauthorized access.
Cylinder wall brackets with straps/ belts Send a requisition to the Department of Facilities to obtain
and mount the wall brackets. These need to be securely attached
to hold the weight of the cylinders.
These are strong enough to hold two cylinders strapped
together. However, when the belt is taken off to move one
cylinder, then both could fall over. The nylon belt comes
in one standard width and it will resist fraying better than
those made out of fabric. If a belt is starting to fray,
replace it by contacting BOC Gases.
Bench type cylinder clamps These can be obtained from the VWR stockroom or BOC. The
lab bench, which the cylinder is mounted to, must be adequately
strong for the size and weight of the cylinder.
Chains Send a requisition to the Department of Facilities to mount
unistrut and hooks to chain cylinders. These need to be securely
attached to hold the weight of the cylinders.
Recommended chain link is 1/4 inch in diameter, per BOC
Gases. Chain can be purchased from the Department of Facilities
Stockroom (Building E19 1st floor).
Restraints to avoid The following are not strong enough to hold multiple cylinders
and EHS recommends replacing these. If many cylinders are
secured with one chain/wire/rope, this is very important.
- Small diameter chain and chain with flat links (less
than 1/4 inch in diameter)
- Wire
- Rope
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