Publications

The safe filling of gas cylinders requires that the persons performing the operation have detailed and expert knowledge of, in particular gas properties, cylinder design, plant operation and relevant legislation. This is in addition to use of the appropriate equipment and inspection of the cylinder to be filled. Experience has shown that transfilling of gases, usually from a larger cylinder to a smaller cylinder, by unqualified persons have caused serious incidents including a number of fatalities. EIGA's position is that only competent and trained professionals transfill industrial, medical and food grade gases using cylinders and equipment specifically designed for the cylinder transfilling operation. Transfilling of medical gases is only allowed if a specific manufacturing licence has been issued by the competent health authority.

Odorization has been used for many years in fuel gases and its success as a warning indicator is linked to the fact that its presence in air is always an indication of a hazardous situation. Fuel gases can only be admitted safely to the atmosphere if it is a component in a combustion process, and this process destroys the odorant. Following serious incidents in nitrogen atmosphere in confined spaces or burn injuries in an oxygen enriched atmosphere, odorization of atmospheric gases is considered by some users. In response to this, EIGA has developed this Position Paper. The Position Paper makes a number of recommendations for those users who could be considering the odorization of atmospheric gases.