CHTM Gas Handling Procedure

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These procedures are to be followed in all situations involving gas cylinders at CHTM.

DO NOT handle gas cylinders if you are not specifically authorized to do so.

These procedures are a complement to the section of the UNM Safety, Health and Environmental Affairs Manual: General Safety, Pages 2.02-1 through 2.02-6, the Compressed Gas Cylinder Program , Chapter 2 (General Safety), Section 2.02 for general information and handling instructions.

List of Procedures

  1. Gas Bottle Ordering
  2. Gas Bottle Receiving
  3. Transport and Installation of Full Gas Bottles
  4. Transport of Empty Gas Bottles
  5. Returning Gas Bottles

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Gas Bottle Ordering


All orders must go through Cynthia McDougal (phone: 505-272-7503).

  1. The internal CHTM ordering form must be completely filled out. Please specify if a particular supplier is required, otherwise the gas will be ordered from one of our two standard suppliers.
  2. Give the form to Beth, who will place the order.
  3. You will receive a confirmation copy of the order.
  4. You will be called when your order arrives.

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 Gas Bottle Receiving


Only qualified technical staff are to receive gas bottles.

  1. Check if any bottles need to go back (empties, returns, etc). Beth keeps a list of items needing to be returned, and also check the ‘empty’ area of the gas cylinder corral.
  2. Inspect the cylinder:
    1. Check for damage (i.e., dents, gouges, evidence of leakage or cracks). If any damage is found, tag the cylinder “out of service” and return it to the manufacturer or distributor.
    2. Compressed gas cylinders must be hydrostatically tested every five years by the gas manufacturer or distributor.
    3. Check the cylinder for the test date (usually stamped on the neck of the cylinder).
  3. Reject any cylinder manufactured prior to 1930.
  4. Make sure the serial number from the bottle is written on the shipper’s manifest.
  5. Tag the cylinder with the a green vinyl tag, available from Beth’s office. A second tag must be added if the cylinder holds a flammable gas (red tag) or an oxidiser (yellow tag). These are also available from Beth's office.
  6. Using a Sharpie marker, write on the tags:
        - the supplier of the cylinder
        - the end user in CHTM
        - the date received
  7. Chain the cylinder to the wall in the ‘full’ section of the corral. Please note that no more than 3 cylinders can be held by any one chain.
          
Tag Color Gas Type
Red Flammable
Yellow Oxidisers
Green On ALL bottles

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Transport and Installation of Full Gas Bottles


  1. A gas bottle cart specifically designed for that purpose must be used to transport bottles. These are green and have safety chains.
  2. Use the safety chains.
  3. Make sure the cylinder cap is in place (Note: the cylinder cap must be on the bottle whenever it's not in use)
  4. Attach a yellow label, available in Beth’s office.
  5. Remove the vinyl tags, clean them, and return them to Beth’s office, along with the FULL section of the yellow tag, on which you will have written:
        - your name
        - the date
        - the serial number from the bottle
        - the location of use.
    (For your later convenience, you may want to copy this data, except for the date, onto the IN SERVICE and EMPTY portions of the tag now.)
    6. Connect the gas, unless it is hazardous (toxic, flammable or pyrophoric).

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Transport of Empty Gas Bottles


Use the same procedures as for transport of full cylinders above, except:

  1. Give Beth the IN SERVICE portion of the tag on which you will have written:
        - your name,
        - the date
        - the serial number from the bottle
        - the location of use.
  2. If the cylinder is NOT empty, cross out EMPTY on the remaining portion of the tag, and indicate the actual situation.

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Returning Gas Bottles


Only qualified technical staff, or a person they have directly authorized, are to return gas bottles.

  1. Check what bottles need to go back. Beth keeps a list of items needing to be returned, and also check the ‘empty’ area of the gas cylinder corral.
  2. Clip the yellow tag. Write on it the serial number of the cylinder (if not already done), and the date on which it is being shipped out. Give the tag to Beth.
  3. Make certain the serial number is written on the shipping manifest of the gas company.

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