Toolbox Talk: Compressed Gas Cylinders

Before you start

Hold the talk next to a cylinder rack or cart so you can show a chain, a valve cap and the label.

Read this to your crew

A gas cylinder holds a lot of energy in a small space. If the valve snaps off, a full cylinder can shoot across a shop like a rocket. If the gas leaks, it can feed a fire or push the oxygen out of a room.

Today we will go over how to handle and store cylinders safely.

Key points

Secure every cylinder. Keep cylinders upright and chained or strapped to a rack, wall or cart so they cannot fall.
Protect the valve. Keep the valve cap on whenever the cylinder is not connected for use, and close the valve when work is done.
Move cylinders the right way. Use a cylinder cart. Never roll, drag or drop a cylinder, and never lift it by the cap.
Keep oxygen and fuel gas apart. In storage, separate oxygen from fuel gases by at least 20 feet or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high.
Read the label. Identify the gas by its label, not its color, and set aside any cylinder that is damaged or unlabeled.

Ask the crew

Where are cylinders stored loose or unchained on this site?
How do we tell full cylinders from empty ones?
What would you do if you heard a cylinder leaking?

Picture this

A welder leans an acetylene cylinder against a post for a quick job instead of chaining it. A forklift bumps the post, the cylinder falls and the valve cracks. The gas ignites on a nearby grinder spark. A chain and a valve cap would have prevented it.

Print this page to use the sign-in sheet, or skip the paper and record attendance digitally in SafetyIQ.

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Signature

Talk leader: ______________ Date: ______________ Site: ______________