Gases

In a umc, gases are used for different purposes. There is a distinction between: 

• Technical gases: these are used for non-medical applications and in laboratories, among other things. For example, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. 
• Medical gases: These are used in the treatment of patients. For example, oxygen and anesthetic gases. 

According to PGS 15, the storage of gas cylinders must be stored in a fire safety cabinet if the total volume of the gas cylinders in the room exceeds 125 litres. To work safely, the following measures and facilities are required: 

• Properly secure gas cylinders during stationary storage, use, and movement, to prevent damage. Do this in (movable) racks or against a wall. 
• Full cylinders may be stored up to a volume of 125 litres. If the storage is larger, an extracted fire safety cabinet must be used. 
• Make sure the gas cylinders are in good technical condition and have them periodically inspected by the supplier. 
• Do not use damaged gas cylinders or gas cylinders that have expired in the inspection period. Do not store them and dispose of them as soon as possible. 
• Make sure that the valves of gas cylinders are well protected against damage that could release a gas. 
• Protect gas cylinders from heating, heating or adverse weather influences. 
• Do not install gas cylinder batteries at the workplace if they contain flammable, toxic, asphyxiating or oxygen-enriching gases. Set them up in a room that can only be accessed from the outside. 
• Provide ventilation in the open air or mechanical ventilation of installation rooms containing gas cylinders containing flammable, poisonous, asphyxiating or oxygen-enriching gases. Provide these spaces on the outside at the entrances with a hazard symbol with the appropriate subtext. Examples include 'flammable gases smoking and open flames prohibited', 'poisonous, intoxicating, suffocating gases' or 'oxygen-enhancing gases smoking and open flames prohibited'. 
• Ensure that the electrical installation is explosion-proof in areas for flammable gases. 
• Do not store gas cylinders in the vicinity of basements, basements, wells, sewers and other areas below ground level, in which the gas can accumulate. 
• In the vicinity of gas cylinders, make sure you have an easily accessible extinguisher that is well protected against weather influences. You can choose from the following devices: 
  • a dry powder extinguisher with a capacity of at least 6 kg of extinguishing powder 
  • a CO2 extinguisher with an extinguishing equivalent of 6 kg of powder 
• Store oxygen cylinders separately from gas cylinders for flammable gases. 
• Make sure that the connection of an oxygen cylinder to a piping system is such that no other gas cylinders can be connected to it. 
• Do not use flammable packaging and grease for oxygen cylinder valves. 
• Do not use copper (or alloys containing more than 63% copper) for pipes and fittings that may come into contact with acetylene. Ensure that gas cylinders containing extremely toxic substances, such as arsine and phosphine, are equipped with two independent block-in valves during intermediate storage and use. Store these in separate rooms. Prevent employees from being exposed to gases or vapours in the ORs as much as possible.