Compressed Gas Cylinders – A Question of Respect

Compressed gas is a fixture at many job sites, but it is also an element which can pose a several potential hazard in terms of worker health and safety.  As a result, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has imposed many layers of clear regulations and guidelines designed to help protect those who work with compressed gases from the dangers that surround their use.  While it might seem as though explosions and fire would dominate the list of incidents involving compressed gas, the reality is that many injuries related to CG are in fact the result of the mishandling of containers.

Musculoskeletal injuries associated with compressed gas cylinders have a number of sources – all of which are preventable with proper training and safety policies in the workplace.  Cylinders can weigh well over 60 lbs, which makes them particularly dangerous should they fall from their assigned storage shelves.  Unfortunately, workers are often tempted to catch a falling cylinder, especially if it has rolled off of a table or transportation cart.  This can result in broken bones, torn ligaments or worse, and employees should be taught to never intervene in the event of a falling cylinder.  Likewise, storage and transportation of compressed natural gas canisters should be done so that they are in an upright position and secured so that they cannot move in any direction.  This reduces the chances that they will roll or tumble if jostled.

The pressures contained within a CG canister can also pose a threat if the cylinders in question are not treated with caution while being handled.  The cylinder cap can often seem like a useful handhold during lifting, but as they are not designed to handle this type of stress, often times they snap off.  This can cause the cap to launch into the face of the worker moving the canister, often at speeds fast enough to cause serious injury.  The potential discharge of toxic or otherwise dangerous gases associated with cap loss creates a secondary health threat in this situation.

Other scenarios where gas pressure becomes a significant issue include moving cylinders from one temperature extreme to another – common during wintertime – as well as using heat to dislodge canisters which have become mired in snow or ice as a result of being stored outdoors.  Contents which are kept under pressure should never be exposed to any device which could cause internal temperatures to rise rapidly, especially in comparison with their external environment, as this could lead to an explosion and the possibility of the cylinder becoming a damaging projectile.

The strength of a steel cylinder is reassuring, but it can also make workers drop their guard during the handling or moving process.  Making assumptions about the safety compressed gases based on the containers they are held in is the type of attitude which can lead to serious injury.  Always make sure that caps are secure, valves are recent, and that containers are not riddled with dents or other signs of abuse that might indicate that replacement is necessary.  Treating CG canisters with the respect they deserve is the least dangerous course of action when handling these commonly found workplace hazards.