I took a
class
from AirGas/National Welders in 2007 offered through WFU’s Chemistry
grad
program. It was on basic compressed gas cylinder safety. As I r
ecall,
the instructor had at least one slide of the subject of gauges exploding.
If I remember correctly, he said it used to happed rarely with older
regulators, but it’s still a possibility (although remote) with moder
n
ones.
He also
spent
several slides on contaminated oxygen regulators. AirGas performed an
experiment at the facility where they test their oxygen tanks. They f
ed
all of the employees fried chicken for lunch and asked them not to wash the
ir
hands before returning to handle the oxygen regulators. They then tes
ted
the Kentucky Fried regulators on oxygen tanks with explosive results.
I don’t
know if they published this experiment (I Googled it, but didn’t look
through the entire list), but my experience with AirGas’s client safe
ty
education has been really great, so I’m sure they’d answer
questions if you called.
I hope
everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Cheers,
span>
Katherine
C.
House, CCHO
Laborator
y
Coordinator
Chemical
Hygiene Officer
Cormetech
, Inc.
5000
International Drive
Durham, N
C
27712
919.620.3
044
(office)
919.815.2
024
(mobile)
-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion Lis
t
[mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf
Of Ben
Ruekberg
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010
9:20
AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**
LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Gas Regul
ator
Question
& nbsp; Long ago, when I was taking welding lessons, the instructor taught us to av ert our faces from the regulator gauges when opening a gas tank because of a possible defect in the regulator that would pressurize the gauge and explod e the glass.
& nbsp; Since that time, I have read several books on laboratory practices and do n ot recall any of them alluding to the practice of averting one’s face wh en opening a gas cylinder. Should they?
With all the accumulated experience in this group, has anyone h eard of this practice or hazard?
& nbsp; (Note: My old instructor might have been confusing a defective regulator ha zard with the one resulting from using a contaminated regulator with an oxygen cylinder.)
& nbsp; Thank you very much,
& nbsp; Ben
& nbsp;
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