OXYGEN SAFETY--This IS Important, Read It!!
Oxygen
Equipment
Safety Information (reprinted
from various Web Searches)
Did you
know...
* Oxygen in pure form- the
kind we as medical professionals use every day-
can be a dangerous substance.
* Pure O2 will
make a fire hot enough to burn metal.
* O2 is
stored at explosive pressures.
* Cryogenic
oxygen is so cold it can cause instant frostbite,
or worse.
* O2 is regulated by the FDA as a
drug and requires a prescription- "USP Oxygen.
Dispense only on order of a Physician."
*
Oxygen also gives us the power to heal. Who would
deny an EMS provider its life giving power in
resuscitation, or the emphysema patient the
freedom allows them by their oxygen "walker"?
* The difference between oxygen as a life
saver and oxygen as a hazard to life comes from
the equipment we choose to control and dispense
it, and the care we take with that equipment.
Problems and
Consequences
Oxygen does not burn, but
oxygen supports combustion. A fire which will
burn in air will burn explosively in pure oxygen.
A material which will not burn in air may burn
very well in pure oxygen- for example the metal
in the oxygen cylinder or the regulator.
Oxygen is stored at high pressures. A typical
cylinder of gaseous oxygen will be pressurized to
2,200 psig. Released suddenly, as when a valve is
broken off, there is enough power to drive a
heavy cylinder through a concrete wall.
Sudden release of this very high pressure
into an enclosed space (as when a cylinder valve
is opened too rapidly) allows rapid compression.
The result is heat which can raise the
temperature inside if a regulator to thousands of
degrees instantaneously, and make the outside so
hot you can't touch it.
DOs and DON'Ts
with Oxygen Handling Equipment
* Do treat
all your oxygen handling equipment with care.
Store it in clean, dry locations.
* Don't use
equipment which is visibly dirty, in poor
repair,or damaged.
* Do maintain all your
oxygen handling equipment exactly as per the
manufacturers instructions.
* Don't allow
your oxygen handling equipment to get near any
oil or grease. If it gets oil on it, condemn it
until it can be properly cleaned.
* Do use
plugs, caps and plastic bags to protect "off
duty" equipment from dust and dirt.
* Don't
allow smoking around oxygen.
* Do designate a
special "clean area" for work with oxygen
handling equipment.
* Don't work on oxygen
handling equipment with ordinary tools.
* Do
designate special tools, clean them and store
them for Use With Oxygen Equipment Only.
*
Don't use parts which may have contacted oil or
grease.
* The following standards are
useful when handling parts for oxygen:
CGA
4.1 1985 "Cleaning Equipment for Oxygen Service"
CGA E-7 1992 "Standard for Medical Gas
Regulators and Flow meters"
CGA E-4 1994
"Standard for Gas Pressure Regulators"
All
three are available from the Compressed Gas
Association at (703)412 0900.
Safe Use
of Compressed Gas Cylinders
Compressed
gases present several hazards. Labels on the
cylinder and the Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) supplied with the gas tell you about the
hazardous properties of the gas; such as toxic,
flammable, or oxidizer. In addition to the gas
hazards, compressed gas cylinders pose other
hazards simply because they contain gas under
pressure.
Regardless of the properties of
the gas, any gas under pressure can explode if
the cylinder is improperly stored or handled.
Making a balloon fly around by suddenly releasing
the air is amusing, but a flying cylinder is not
so funny. The principle is the same for both a
balloon and a compressed gas cylinder. Improperly
releasing the gas from a compressed gas cylinder
is extremely dangerous. Cylinders are definitely
not balloons--they are hard and heavy. A sudden
release of the gas can cause a cylinder to become
a missile-like projectile, destroying everything
in its path. Cylinders have been known to
penetrate concrete-block walls.
* Cylinders
must not be dropped or allowed to fall. Chain and
rack them in an upright position during use and
storage. When transporting cylinders, they must
be secured from falling.
* When moving a
cylinder, even for a short distance, all the
valves must be closed, the regulator removed, and
the valve cap installed.
* Before the gas is
used, install the proper pressure-reducing
regulator on the valve. After installation,
verify the regulator is working, that all gauges
are operating correctly and that all connections
are tight to ensure that there are no leaks. When
you are ready to use the gas, open the valve with
your hands. Never use a wrench or other tool. If
you cannot open it with your hands, do not use
it.
Following these procedures will help
prevent accidents. Remember, your safety when
using compressed gas cylinders depends on you.
Great site for all your questions: http://www.howstuffworks.com/question493.htm