Risk Assessment for Storage and Use of Gas Cylinders Ref.

Project: Date:

Gas cylinders’ storage, use and movement. Gas cylinder regulator use.
Overview of activity / location /
equipment / conditions being  A separate COSHH assessment will be needed to address hazardous substances related to gas cylinder use (such as toxic or harmful gasses).
assessed:  Gas cylinder/regulators/hoses and other attachments also work equipment and must be used in compliance with PUWER and the work equipment risk
assessment.

Generic or specific assessment? Context of assessment:

Generic risk assessment Generic risk assessment

A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
Explosion, sudden gas or
fluid release, exposure to
cylinder contents and fire.
In general, the main causes of gas cylinder accidents and incidents that need
 Impact from the blast of a to be addressed are:
gas cylinder explosion or
 Inadequate training and/or supervision;
rapid release of
 Poor installation and/or maintenance;
compressed gas;
 Faulty equipment and/or design
 Impact from parts of gas
Persons using the  Poor storage
cylinders that fail or any
cylinders.  Poor handling; and
1 flying debris;
Persons in the vicinity of  Poor ventilation
 Contact with the release
the cylinders. Specific control measures are considered below, under specific
of gas or fluid from a
cylinder (e.g. chlorine); elements/aspects of using gas cylinders. Poor ventilation is not addressed;
this would be a hazard more likely to be considered in a COSHH assessment.
 Fire resulting from the
escape of flammable
gasses or fluids (e.g.
methane) or the release
of oxidising gasses (e.g.
oxygen)

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 A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
Struck by a cylinder or
suffering a manual handling
injury
 Impact from the falling
cylinder;
 Manual handling injuries
from moving or handling
cylinders
Cylinder maintenance /  Cylinders must be inspected at least annually:
Persons using the
inspection  If departments own gas cylinders, then they must arrange for them
cylinders.
2  Explosion, sudden gas or to be inspected annually by a competent authorised person.
Persons in the vicinity of
fluid release, exposure to  Most gas cylinders will be owned by the gas supplier, who as the
the cylinders.
cylinder contents and fire. owners of the cylinder will arrange for an annual inspection.
 Ensure that regulators are labelled such that individual regulators can be
identified and matched to their service history.
 Ensure that the gas regulator is subject to an inspection and maintenance
regime as follows:
 Pre-use visual inspection – check for rating, type, fitting,
contamination and obvious damage;
 Annual visual inspection and function check; and
Gas cylinder regulators
Persons using the  Periodic full service by a competent person as recommended by
cylinders. the manufacturer or replacement. Most manufacturers
3  Explosion, sudden gas or
Persons in the vicinity of recommend a full service/replacement five years after
fluid release, exposure to
the cylinders. manufacture. Note that some components in a regulator will
cylinder contents and fire.
deteriorate even if a regulator remains unused.
 Ensure that the gas regulator rating exceeds the maximum pressure of the
gas cylinder.
Note: Regulators will have manufacturer markings stamped into them from
which their age can be determined, but markings vary between
manufacturers’. The BCGA has published guidance on interpreting
manufacturer markings.

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 A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
 Gasses should preferably be piped to the point of use from outside the
building, eliminating the need to house cylinders in the workrooms.
However, this is not always possible or practical.
 Before a gas cylinder is attached to any equipment:
 Double-check that the right gas is being used;
 Double-check that the regulator and other equipment are suitable
for the gas and the pressure to be used.
 During use
 Cylinders must only be used in an upright position unless the
supplier has specified otherwise.
 Unless a cylinder has been designed to be free-standing, it must
Gas cylinders in use
be secured in position.
 Oil and grease must not be used on valves, regulators or another
 Explosion, sudden gas or Persons using the
fitting. Doing so may cause an explosion.
fluid release, exposure to cylinders.
4  During downtime:
cylinder contents and fire. Persons in the vicinity of
 Close the cylinder valve to reduce the chance of unintentional gas
 Struck by a cylinder or the cylinders
release and replace dust caps.
suffering a manual
 Cylinders must only be used for their intended purpose; they must not be
handling injury
used as rollers, supports or props as this may damage the cylinder or
cause the valve to open.
 Cylinders and attachments must be regularly inspected to ensure that gas
is not leaking.

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 A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
 Rotate stocks of cylinders, so that older cylinder are used first.
 Gas cylinders must suitably be segregated:
 Flammable and oxidising gasses must be separated from each
other; they must be either at least three metres apart or separated
by firewalls;
Gas cylinders in storage
 Incompatible gasses must be stored apart; and
 Empty and full gas cylinders must be stored apart.
 Explosion, sudden gas or Persons using the
 Gas cylinder stores must:
fluid release, exposure to cylinders.
5  Be well ventilated;
cylinder contents and fire. Persons in the vicinity of
 Be sheltered from indirect heating;
 Struck by a cylinder or the cylinders
 Be a naked flame and smoke-free area;
suffering a manual
 Be well-drained; so that cylinders do not have to sit or lie in water;
handling injury
and
 Be secured to prevent unauthorised entry and access to the
cylinders.
 Gas cylinders must be stored in an upright position and secured so that
they cannot fall over.
 Consider:
 Eliminating or reducing manual handling hazards by piping gas to
the point of use; and/or
Gas cylinder movement on  Reducing the manual handling hazard by automating cylinder
Persons moving the handling using a crane or mobile hoist; and/or
campus
cylinders.  Reducing the manual handling hazard by specifying and using
Persons with existing smaller gas cylinders in preference to larger cylinders; and/or
 Explosion, sudden gas or
injuries/disabilities or of  Reducing the manual handling hazards by using handling aids,
6 fluid release, exposure to
small stature will be more such as a cylinder trolley.
cylinder contents and fire.
vulnerable.  When moving a cylinder:
 Struck by a cylinder or
Persons in the vicinity of  Make sure that the person handling the cylinder is equipped with
suffering a manual
the cylinders personal protective equipment
handling injury
 Safety shoes with steel toe caps; and
 Safety gloves to protect from mechanical damage
 Make sure that the cylinder valve has been closed.
 Make sure that regulators and hoses have been removed, unless

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 A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
the equipment has been designed to be moved in this way (e.g.
portable welding equipment in a trolley)
 Make sure that a suitable route has been identified that takes into
account the stability and requirements of any equipment used.
 If using a cylinder trolley:
 Make sure that the cylinder trolley is in good order. Loose or
damaged hand grips can cause the trolley to be dropped. Loose
or damaged trolley wheel can cause the trolley to tip over.
 Make sure that the cylinder is secured to the trolley.
 If using a crane or hoist:
 Make sure that suitable slings and/or clamps are used. Chain
slings can damage a cylinder or its markings and should not be
used. Magnetic lifting devices should not be used.
 Do not lift cylinders by valves, shrouds or caps for lifting unless
designed for the purpose.
 Do not lift cylinders on the fork of forklift trucks unless precautions
are taken to stop them falling or rolling.
 If moving by hand only:
 Do not roll horizontal cylinders along the floor; this can cause
cylinder valves to open and can damage cylinder markings and
labels.
 Only ‘churn’ a cylinder over flat, smooth surfaces and then only for
short distances (<two metres).
 The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure
Equipment Regulations 2009 regulate the transportation of ‘dangerous
Gas cylinder movement by goods’ by road or rail. This includes the carriage of both full and empty
7
road or rail off campus gas cylinders.
 This risk assessment does not cover the carriage of gas cylinders by road
or rail.
8

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 A Additional
# Hazard(s) identified Persons affected Existing controls & measures A B x controls
B required
1
0
1
1

Severity
Likelihood
Insignificant (1) Minor (2) Moderate (3) Major (4) Catastrophic (5)
Rare (1) 1 2 3 4 5
Possible (2) 2 4 6 8 10
Likely (3) 3 6 9 12 15
Often (4) 4 8 12 16 20
Frequent/ Almost Certain (5) 5 10 15 20 25
15 - 25 Extreme Risk Activity or industry should not proceed in the current form.
Activity or industry should be modified to include remedial planning and action and be subject to detailed OSH
8 - 12 High Risk
assessment.
4-6 Moderate Risk Activity or industry can operate subject to management and /or modification.
1-3 Low Risk No immediate action required unless escalation of risk is possible.
Assessor signature: Print name: Review date:

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