All personnel being employed for work in connection with
oxygen/rich air should be cautioned concerning the hazards
involved and precautions to be observed.
WARNING ABOUT OXYGEN,
NITROGEN, ACETYLENE GAS PLANTS:
Oil grease or similar substances must not be allowed to
come into contact with compressed oxygen or liquid oxygen.
Contact of this substance with oxygen may result in
an explosion. Personnel working in an area of possible oxygen
concentration, such as near an oxygen vent or a liquid oxygen
spillage, or in a trench where oxygen seepage and concentration
might occur, must ensure that their clothing is free from
contaminations of oxygen before lighting a cigarette or
approaching a naked flames. It is essential that the clothes
be dries for at least 15 minutes before approaching a flame
after any such contamination.
The following precautions must be strictly observed
Oxygen Gas Plant, Nitrogen Gas Plant, Acetylene Gas
Plant at all times:
1: Thoroughly wash all oxygen fittings,
valves and parts with clean Tricolor Ethylene /
carbon tetra chloride (CTC) before installation. Never use
petrol, kerosene or other
hydrocarbon solvents for this purpose. All tubing, lines
valves etc. to be used in
oxygen service, must be of an approved type and must be
thoroughly degreased
and blown out with clean oil-free compressed air or Nitrogen
before being placed in
service.
2: Do not permit the release of Acetylene
or other flammable gases in the vicinity of the plant air
intake. A concentration of Acetylene exceeding 5
parts per million in liquid oxygen may explode with
extreme violence. Strict supervision is essential to minimize
the possibility of contamination.
3: The plant and the plant vicinity must
be kept clean and free from abstractions at all times. Any
oil leak within the plant surrounding must be rectified
without delay. Oil spillage must be cleaned up immediately
using rag and carbon Tetra Chloride.
4: Do not lubricate oxygen valves,
regulators, gauges or fitting with oil or any other
substance.
5: Ensure that insulation removed from
the Air Separator jacket is not contaminated with oil or
other inflammable materials. Personnel carrying out maintenance
on the Air Separation Plant equipment must wear clean
overalls and their hands and tools must be free of oil.
This ensures that the insulation and equipment within the
jacket is not contaminated with oil. Should contamination
take place the affected materials must be discarded and
replaced by clean new material?
6: Do not fasten electric conduits to the
plant or its pipelines.
7: Do not use oxygen as a substitute
for compressed air, spark present in an atmosphere of oxygen
will immediately burst into flame.
