Publications

Reviews of accidents both inside and outside of the industrial gases industry often reveal that at least one of the following causes have contributed to the accident: • Hazards associated with a task were not adequately identified; and/or • Appropriate prevention and protection measures were not properly identified and/or implemented. The use of a work permit system to manage potentially hazardous work tasks should ensure that risk is reduced to an acceptable level. This publication is intended to outline the key elements of a good work permit system. A fundamental basis of European workplace and worker safety legislation is “risk assessment”. (Health and Safety Framework Directive - Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work. For normal operating tasks and for foreseeable inspection and maintenance tasks, the employer has a general duty (which in many countries can also be a legal obligation) to provide written operating instructions and to document that sufficient measures are in place so that the risk associated with those foreseeable tasks is acceptable. In addition to written instructions for normal operations and normal inspection and maintenance tasks, every good safety management system should also include a written work permit procedure to control potentially hazardous tasks. This publication describes the key elements of a robust work process (management system) to formally manage such tasks under a “work permit”.

This publication sets out the basic requirements to ensure that gas mixtures are manufactured safely.

This publication is a compilation of control marks stamped on compressed, liquefied or dissolved gas cylinders worldwide and updates a document first published in 1990. The publication lists existing control marks, which are found on the shoulder of cylinders and which helps the gases industry easily identify the characteristics of a cylinder.

This publication has been prepared by a group of experts in industrial gases technology or oxygen equipment and is based on currently available technical information and experience. It provides knowledge on the cleaning, inspection, and packaging and handling of equipment used in oxygen service. This publication describes the cleaning methods and requirements for equipment used in the production, storage, distribution, and use of liquid and gaseous oxygen to reduce the risk of fire, explosion, or promotion of combustion.

This publication describes techniques and recommended practices for the safe disposal of gases used in the industrial gases industry. It includes the identification and the selection of the appropriate disposal methods such as re-cycling, incineration and chemical adsorption/absorption/reaction.

The purpose of the publication is to provide general guidance on the design, manufacturing, installation and operation of centrifugal oxygen compressors, thereby safeguarding personnel and equipment as well as ensuring reduced downtime from this equipment. It is intended for those involved at all stages of centrifugal oxygen compressors including those who specify, design, install, operate and maintain these items.

The document gives guidance to the operator who is executing the pre-fill inspection of acetylene cylinders. It gives examples of possible defects found during this inspection.

This publication is intended to give the requirements for filling individual cylinders, bundles and battery vehicles containing different porous materials and different solvents. The publication is intended to supplement the existing standards by clarification of their safety philosophy and the method of implementation. It demonstrates the effects of the essential parameters, such as maximum acetylene content, necessary solvent content, acetylene/solvent ratio, acetylene filling tolerance, solvent filling tolerance, free volume in the cylinder, porosity of filler material. The previous publication of this document covered the theoretical aspects of permissible charge. In this new version the scope has been extended to include operational aspects for filling.