Safety Administration

PATTON - FULLER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Safety Administration
Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety

Policy

A planned approach to protect employees and patients regarding exposure to and the handling of compressed gas cylinders in the hospital environment.

Purpose

• To provide guidelines for the safe use and handling of compressed gas cylinders.
• Provide training for new employees and validate knowledge with existing staff who will handle compressed gas cylinders.

Procedure

1. Training on handling compressed gas cylinders.
1. The Director of Plant Operations is in charge of training on the proper use, handling and storage of compressed gas cylinders.
2. Each hospital department shall coordinate with the office of the Director of Plant Operations for the training of any personnel that may need to use, handle or store compressed gas cylinders in the performance of their job duties. No employee is to use, handle or store compressed gas cylinders until they have completed and passed the required training.
2. Handling and use of compressed gas cylinders.
1. When transporting compressed gas cylinders, always make sure that the cylinders are properly secured so that they cannot tip over or fall.
2. Always use a cap to protect the cylinder's regulator.
3. Never lift or pull the cylinder by the regulator.
4. Be sure your hands are dry and clean before handling the cylinder. If using gloves, ensure that the gloves are not oily.
5. Double check the cylinders� labels so you know what you are handling. Any chemicals that should not be stored together should not be transported together.
6. Be sure to know the location of emergency and fire control equipment. Notify departments that are near the transport route that you will be moving gas cylinders.
7. Do not use cylinders whose labels are missing or illegible. Return such cylinders to the supplier.
8. Do not smoke or have any open flames nearby when handling or using compressed gas cylinders.
9. Double check cylinder labels when distributing cylinders to emergency carts, Operating Rooms, the Emergency Room or patient floors. Double check cylinder labels and line labels when attaching a gas cylinder to a central line.
10. Closely examine the cylinder regulator before attaching any lines, valves, masks or pressure regulators. Make sure the regulator is intact and does not appear to be loose or to be leaking. Avoid touching the regulator or the parts that will be mated to it with oily hands or gloves. When the line, valve, mask or pressure regulator has been attached to the cylinder regulator, check to make sure that there are no leaks at the point of connection and that the gas is being delivered through the attached device at the proper flow rate.
3. Storage of compressed gas cylinders.
1. Compressed gas cylinders may only be stored in facilities that have been specifically designed and designated for that purpose by the Director of Plant Operations. If you see cylinders being stored in rooms that are not designated as compressed gas storage areas, notify the Director of Plant Operations immediately.
2. Properly secure the cylinders in the storage area so that the tanks cannot tip over or fall. If a cylinder has a cap, make sure that it is in place and secured.
3. Inspect cylinder labels. Make sure the labels are intact, legible and securely attached to the cylinder. If you do not know the contents of a cylinder, contact the office of the Director of Plant Operations immediately.
4. Whenever you add or remove a cylinder from the compressed gas cylinder storage area, promptly update the computerized Compressed Gas Inventory. This will provide current and up-to-date information to emergency personnel in the event of a fire or accident. Based upon the inventory changes, make sure the hazardous warning badges outside of the storage area and on the outside of the building are accurate and up-to-date.
4. Each employee will be required to review policies and complete an annual training program on cylinder safety as part of their annual review.