Official regulation for Gas cylinder storage

Date 01-27-2010 16:24 Edited 01-27-2010 21:43

This is what we use AWS Z49.1 SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING AND ALLIED PROCESSES.pdf hope this will help. Just copy this up above and run a search from what I understand it is free.

M.G

By waccobird (****)

Date 01-27-2010 17:17

RonG
Compressed Gas Cylinder Storage Guidelines
All cylinders must be stored vertical, top up across the upper half the cylinder but below the shoulder. Small cylinder stands or other methods may be appropriate to ensure that the cylinders are secured from movement. Boxes, cartons, and other items used to support small cylinders must not allow water to accumulate and possible cause corrosion.

Avoid corrosive chemicals including salt and fumes – keep away from direct sunlight and keep objects away that could fall on them.
Cylinders that contain fuel gases whether full or empty must be stored away from oxidizer cylinders at a minimum of 20 feet. In the event they are stored together, they must be separated by a wall 5 feet high with a fire resistive barrier of at least one half hour. If the cylinders are stored inside the area must be fully sprinkled. Examples of oxidizers are fluorine, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Examples of fuel gases are hydrogen and propane.
Flammable compressed gas cylinders stored inside of buildings must be stored at least 20 feet from flammable and combustible liquids and easily ignited materials such as wood, paper, oil, and grease.
Toxic gas cylinders must be stored separately in well-ventilated fully sprinkled areas. Separation distance between toxic gas cylinders and fuel gases must be 20 feet or a mounted non combustible partition extending the full height and width of the cylinders it separates. Ventilation rates must be maintained per ESH Manual Chapter 13.2.
Storage areas for compressed gas cylinders must not contain any unnecessary combustible materials or uncontrolled ignition sources.
All cylinders must be stored with valve cover caps, if so equipped.
Storage cylinders must be segregated into “FULL” or “EMPTY” groups at locations or in racks for each category.
Flammable gas cylinders whether full or empty must not be located near an exit or any location which could block an exit.
All cylinders whether full or empty must comply with NFPA and DOT labeling requirements and OSHA hazard communication requirements. Contents of cylinders should be readily identifiable during inspection. A materials safety data sheet (msds) must be available for all gases and gas mixtures.
There must be adequate space for personnel and carts to allow delivery and removal of cylinders. Floor surfaces must be in good condition. Cylinders that are moved to allow access to other cylinders must be secured to prevent accidental falling or damage.
This was gleaned from AWS Z49.1 SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING AND ALLIED PROCESSES and OSHA
Good Luck
Marshall

By RonG

Date 01-27-2010 18:36

Thank you for your quick replys.

What I needed is some ACG spec's and possible fire code reg's to toss on to the table at the next inquisition. For years I have tryed to convince our management that we are in violation of ACG, OSHA and local fire codes and that we need to correct it.

I get a lot of “OK so handle it” and I reply “It will cost x amount of $’s” (very congested & popular lay down area at night that needs rearranging every morning).

The reply; “We will have do an appropriation” and I reply; “OK so handle it” (meaning you give me the money and I will take care of it) and that’s the end of that story on at least 2 different occasions.

But now until big daddy corporation is sending a corporate safety inspector to come and check out his new holdings and all the “Chicken Little’s” are running helter skelter (sep-un- me cause I have copies of the e-mails informing them of the infractions going back 10 years).

But, I will be glad to give them plenty of reading material for the next couple weeks or until the “Sky falls”.

Truth be known this guy will probably be fresh out of school and has never seen a compressed gas cylinder in his life but I bet they have armed him with all the proper regulations he can read.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-27-2010 21:39

Maybe this?

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9854

You may find the OSHA text may well be drawn verbatum from Z49.1... But thats a good thing.

By RonG

Date 01-27-2010 21:58

Thanks again for all the response. I am sure I have enough to get the point across. Now I only have a few days to make things compliant (checks in the mail)!

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-28-2010 14:14

I was out of town yesterday on an inspection job. When I saw this thread this morning I was going to give you the OSHA numbers to look up in their book. Then I clicked on Lawrence's post link.

WOW, I guess I had never gone to that one before. It puts all of their regs right there for you. Don't need much else.

But, if you want more ammo for the fray: AWS's 'The Independent Shop's Guide to Welding Safety and Health' (they really should shorten that title) pages 11-21 has many safety procedures for handling and storage of cylinders. It also sites The Compressed Gas Association publication P-1 as further resource.

Then there is AISC's 'General Safety Rules for Structural Steel Fabricators' Section 9.

Hope that helps if you need additional documentation. Seems all agencies pretty much agree on these handling standards.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-28-2010 15:55

***************** Note... Thread Hijack,

Brent, Ron and folks.

In the link I provided above it showed some text and drawings referring to flash back arrestors and reverse flow check valves....

I had an OSHA/Insurance audit this week and the question of compliance came up... While we do have these installed on both our manifolds and our mobil rigs.. I questioned the auditor about the actual *requirement* for arrestors and check valves on "mobil" oxy-fuel rigs.

What do you guys think? Are they *required* on mobil rigs?
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9854

1910.253(e)(3)(ii)(C)(2)
Backflow protection shall be provided by an approved device that will prevent oxygen from flowing into the fuel-gas system or fuel from flowing into the oxygen system (see S(F), Figs. Q-1 and Q-2)
1910.253(e)(3)(ii)(C)(3)
Flash-back protection shall be provided by an approved device that will prevent flame from passing into the fuel-gas system.

Is the context here only for manifolded systems or for all systems?

By fschweighardt (***)

Date 01-28-2010 16:31

Check NFPA 55 and NFPA 51, both have extensive information on storage and handling and requirements for protective equipment.

By RonG

Date 01-29-2010 13:59

Interesting question Lawrence!

Could you elaborate on Mobil rigs? Do you mean a portable manifold you can move around the shop and hook in to different fuel outlets along the walls (I get that impression from the sketchs)?

I have never seen that used for any thing other than compressed air. Would that quailfy the manifold as a clyinder?

I ask that because I am curious about disposing of any contents left after use. Would you just release it to the atmosphere?

The only manifold in our flammable gas system is out side and allows us to switch from one 100 Gal. container to another. It uses a Flash back arrestor or Back flow preventer with a liquid barrier (that never gets checked).

Other than that all our torch carts (Mobil rigs) have Flash back arrestors at the mixing chambers.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-29-2010 15:40

Ron

When I say "mobil rig" I'm just talking about two bottles on a cart.

It seems the OSHA text is speaking to manifold systems... But I don't see anything at all that specifically addresses oxy-fuel carts..

I don't know if there are seperate standards or if this one standard covers both...

In my experience *most* Oxy-fuel rigs (on carts or on trucks) don't have reverse flow check valves or flashback arrestors installed as part of the system... Just wondering what actual compliance for those type of set-ups is.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-29-2010 19:57

Man Lawrence, you hijacked this thread with a question that I have never had any experience with. I don't see how any of those regs could be at all related to that situation.

To my way of thinking the language should speak for itself. It either has a manifold and is covered by the reg, or it has none and is not covered.

But then, I am not an OSHA enforcement officer having to fine enough people to make my paycheck each week. UMM, then again, if they don't fine enough people they just take their wages out of our tax dollars. What a racquet. Better get off this soapbox, we'll really have this thread messed up.

I'm going to have to read through some of the OSHA and other codes more to get any other ideas than that. Hopefully someone with some exact knowledge of you question will chime in.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-29-2010 20:12

I think I like the way you read it.

But that being said, I would think OSHA would have some language/text someplace to set safety requirements for those mobil carts... If anybody can point me in that direction it would be a good thing to know for sure.

By Milton Gravitt (***)

Date 01-30-2010 00:37

Lawrence, I'm not for sure about this but don't some of the new torches come with built in already.
M.G.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 01-30-2010 02:03

The newer Victor torch handles have check vaves built in, and I believe the Smith cutting torches have a flashback arester built in the torch head. Don't most of the torch kits come with check valves now?

By Milton Gravitt (***)

Date 01-31-2010 16:34

I think so Dave,but I would ask the salesman if I wasn't sure.

M.G.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-31-2010 18:58

As far as check valves and flash back arrestors (two seperate items)

Both Victor, Smith and Harris make units that have them built in... But not all units.

Only the top of the line come with the things built in... There are many available options, including kits that don't.

This is why I'm interested in specific OSHA regulations regarding both reverse flow check valves and flash-back arrestors, directed to Oxy-fuel rigs that one might find in a small shop or on a welding truck/rig.