Look to the guidelines established by the Semiconductor Safety Association.  The NFPA also has standards in this area.  

While my experience at GE Global Research goes back 12 years, our silane safety systems required dispensing silane from gas cabinets fitted with loss of ventilation shut down systems; distribution of the silane via coaxial stainless steel tubing with all welded fittings, and systems to shut down in case of excess gas flow (as from a line leak), excess delivery pressure, loss of ventilation, and toxic gas monitoring.  GE's gas cabinets were located in utility spaces on the outside of the building, in an explosion resistant vaults with blow out walls venting to the outside.  Theses vaults would also contain separate cabinets for gases such as arsine, phosphene, diborane, clorosilanes, chlorine, HCl, HF, etc.  Separate vaults were provided to allow for separation of chemical hazard class, e.g. flammable, oxidizer, corrosive, highly toxic, etc..  The shipping/receiving area for these gases also had ventilated cabinets for the storage of the full and empty cylinders, with alarms for loss of ventilation.  

All gas piping systems required leak testing and integrity testing before placing into service.  Testing of the toxic gas monitoring system, piping integrity, and other safety shutdowns were done by instruments techs, and not by the research group.

Training on the hazard aspects of the gases, as well as compresses gas cylinder safety was required for both the technical staff as well as the building service personnel, including the material handlers.

As I recall, the components of the safety system hardware were available from the major suppliers of gases to the semiconductor industry.

We also adopted these safety controls for hazardous gases used for chemical, metallurgical, ceramics, and combustion research.

Reinhard Sidor, ScD
GE Global Research - retired
Sent from my iPad

On Aug 12, 2014, at 9:06 AM, Wayne Wood <wayne.wood**At_Symbol_Here**MCGILL.CA> wrote: