Gas Cylinders
Gas cylinders are used are used by certain teams at the
University principally by Facilities Maintenance and Health and
Life Sciences – but on occasions other teams such as Admissions and
Marketing and the Students’ Union will use gases to inflate
balloons at events.
All cylinders share the property of being constructed in very
strong material, usually steel, to contain the gas at high
pressures. The full pressure also varies depending on the type of
gas and duty for the cylinder and pressures can be very high.
Cylinders fall into two categories - liquefied gases and compressed
gases.
There are hazards associated with the cylinders, the gases
contained in the cylinders, the pipework and connections and the
use of the gases. Gas cylinders can pose potentially significant
risks in the event of a fire and the Fire Service may decide that
gas cylinders pose a risk to their staff when considering how to
tackle a fire.
Departments that need to obtain / use gas cylinders must
register this with the health and safety department and must have
arrangements for obtaining, holding, using and disposing of
them.
Some useful Web links:
HSE Document ‘Small Scale Use of LPG in Cylinders’:
BOC Safety Trainig:
Also need to periodically test and inspect all gas canisters’ (any
above 0.5 bar) under the 'Carriage of Dangerous Goods
(Classification, Packaging and Labeling) and Use of Transportable
Pressure Receptacles Regulations 1996’ (see Bangor website) as well
as to record what we have and where – register could be held by
Security and estates.
Bangor guidance on safe use of GS in labs: