BBN VNDTNDHNG CCF JYH JYFF J JJYFJ

1. 1
Handling and knowledge
about high purity gases and gas
mixtures
Melina van Meer, AGA Gas AB, Segment Specialty Gas

2. 2
Agenda
AGA Gas AB
Laws, regulations and rules
Gases
Risks
Handling
Storage of gas cylinders
Colour marking of gas cylinders
Gas equipment
Training
Summary

3. AGA Gas AB

4. 4
AB Gasackumulator was founded 1904 with 16 employees in Saltsjö-Järla
AGA Gas AB

5. 5
”Solve the problems of customers. Give them the opportunity to increase
profitability, safety and quality in their operations. Help them to introduce new,
better technology.”
GUSTAF DALÈN, President of AGA 1909-1937

6. 6
AGA Gas AB – part of The Linde Group
• 50.000 employees in more than 100 countries
• Turnover 2011 – 100 billion SEK
AGA, Linde och BOC

7. 7
Page 7
The Linde Group Today
Result of world´s biggest gas fusion Merging of Linde Gas, AGA and BOC
with three principal operations:
Industry Gases Engineering Healthcare

8. 8
Industry Gases are our main focus
Other Gases
Specialty Gases
Medical Gases
Air Gases • Nitrogen
• Oxygen
• Acetylene
• Helium
• Propane
• HiQ High Purity Gases
• HiQ Specialty Mixtures
• Temperatures: from -269 oC up to +3.500 oC
• Pressure: from 0 to 300 bar
• Purity: up to 99,99999%
• Medical Oxygen
• Nitrous oxide
• NO-mixtures
Working Areas
• Carbon dioxide & -monoxide
• Hydrogen
• Refigerants
• Argon
• Inert Gases (Kr, Ne, Xe)
• Methane

9. Laws, regulations and rules

10. 10
Laws, Parliament
Regulations, Government
Rules, Authorities
Standards, not law
EU-directive
Swedish legislation

11. 11
Requirements of employer and users
Lag om skydd mot olyckor – Law about protection against accidents
Arbetsmiljölagen – Law about working environment
Lag om brandfarliga och explosiva varor – Law about flammables and
explosives
Kemiska arbetsmiljörisker (AFS 2011:19) – Risks in chemical work
environment
Gaser (AFS 1997:7) – Gases
Gasflaskor (AFS 2001:4) – Gas cylinders
Användning av tryckbärande anordningar (AFS 2002:1) – Use of
pressurised devices
Brandfarlig gas i lös behållare (SÄIFS 1998:7) – Flammable gas in a
cylinder
Arbete i explosionsfarlig miljö (AFS 2003:3) – Working in explosive
environment
Explosionsfarlig miljö vid hantering av brandfarliga gaser och vätskor

12. 12
Regulations of Swedish Work Environment
Authority AFS 1997:7
1 § These regulations applies to all operations using gas.
3 § In all operations where gas is used a risk assessment needs to be done. Any
change in process, equipment or operating conditions -> new risk assessment needs
to be done.
4 § Working with gas can only be managed or performed by a person with enough
knowledge about the gas, about the risks when using gases and how to avoid these
risks.

13. 13
Responsibilty of Gas Superintendent
• Gas storage room locked and not accessible for unauthorized persons
• Always a person attending at unloading/loading of gas deliveries
• Safety signs according to legislations where gas cylinders are stored
• Combustible gases (i e acetylen, LPG) should not be stored together with combustion supporting
gases (i e oxygen, nitrous oxide), this also includes empty cylinder
• Store cylinders vertically and securely to prevent them from toppling
• Make sure that protection hood stays on cylinder
• Inside and outside of gas storage room is clean
• That staff are using safety shoes and clothes when working with gas
• That handling of gases are according to regulations

14. 14
Who appoints gas superintendent
A person who is in charge of flammable products
A signatory
A suitable gas superintendent:
● Working in the daily operations
● Has knowledge and experience of working with gas

15. 15
Risk Assessment
Documented (Best before date 2004)
Should be the basis of:
• Actions
• Program for continuos inspections
• Register of gases and how dangerous they are
• Information about possible risks
• Competence of staff working with gases
• Routines and instructions for working with gases
• Design of working area
• Storage/Handling
• Warning signs
• Documentation of explosive protection
• Plan of emergency

16. 16
Risk Assessment

17. 17
Risk Assessment Matrix
1 2 3 4 5
>1 time per
1 month
5
1 time per
1 month-1 year
4
1 time per
1 year-10 year
3
1 time per
10 year-100
year
2
<1 time per
100 year
1
Health
Transient mild
discomfort
Single injured,
lasting
discomfort
Single severe
injured,
severe
discomfort
Single death,
several
severe
injured
Several deaths ,
tens severe
injured
Environment
No actual damage.
Small
propagation.
No cleanup.
Transient, brief
damage
Small
propagation.
Simple
cleanup.
Prolonged damage.
Small to big
propagation.
Simple cleanup.
Permanent damage.
Small
propagation.
Difficult cleanup.
Permanent
damage. Big
propagation.
Difficult cleanup.
Property <0,1 million SEK 0,1-1,0 million SEK 1-5 million SEK 5-20 million SEK >20 million SEK
Midddle risk
High risk
Low risk

18. 18
When not following the legislation…
Consequenses
Compensation from insurance company is based on legal requirements.

19. 19
Risk- and safety services
Safety Engineers at AGA Gas AB:
Jan Fransson
Magnus Olsson
Give a status of your gas system
Show the way to a safety gas system

20. 20
Services
Legal Requirements
Safety Review
Risk assessment
Documentation of
explosion protection
Plan of classification
C1, C2
Flow chart
List of components
Counseling
Documentation
Voluntarily

21. Gases

22. 22
%
Nitrogen 78,09
Oxygen 20,95
Argon 0,93
Sum about 100
ppb
Hydrogen 500
Nitrous gas 280
Carbon monoxide60-240
Xenon 90
Ozon 25-45
Acetylene 10
Formaldehyde 10
Ammonia 2-20
Hydrogen sulfide 2-20
Sulfur dioxide 0-20
Hydrogen fluoride1-18
Ethylene 3
Nitrogen oxide 1-4
Chlorine ca 1
ppm
Carbon dioxide 340
Neon 15
Helium 5
Krypton 1,1
Methane 1-2
ppt
R12 ca 200
R11 ca 200
R22 70
Iodine 4-40
Content of the air that we breathe

23. 23
Air separation unit – Oxygen • Nitrogen • Argon
1. Filter
2. Compressor
3. Cleaning/purification
4. Cooling
5. Expansion
6. Separation
7. Argon
8. Nitrogen
9. Oxygen
10.Pump
11.Evaporator
1
2
3
4
5 6
7
8 8 9
7
10
11

24. 24
Permanent gases
Oxygen O2 -183 °C
Argon Ar -186 °C
Nitrogen N2 -196 °C
Hydrogen H2 -253
°C
Helium He -269 °C

25. 25
How much gas in a cylinder?
200 bar
50 litres Atmospheric pressure
10 000 litres = 10 m3
200 x 50 = 10 000 litres = 10 m3

26. 26
Condensed gases is liquid in the cylinder
LPG
95% Propane C3H8 - 42 °C
5% Butane C4H10 ± 0 °C
Carbon dioxide CO2 - 78 °C
Nitrous oxide N2O - 88 °C

27. 27
Kryos is from greek language, meaning very cold
Liquid gases = Cryogenic gases

28. 28
Liquid gas
1 litre of liquid gas -> 500-800
litres of gas in gas phase

29. 29
Absorbed gas
Acetylene is a special case
Acetylene C2H2 - 84 °C
Can not be stored in high pressure due to risk
of spontaneously decay:
• Porous mass
• Acetone
• Acetylene solved (absorbed) in acetone

30. 30
Light and heavy gases
Hydrogen 0,07
Helium 0,14
Acetylene 0,91
Nitrogen 0,97
Air 1,0
Oxygen 1,11
Argon 1,38
Carbon dioxide 1,53
LPG (propane) 1,56

31. 31
Gas cylinders
Gas
Phase of the gas
Pressure of gas (bar)
Temp risk for bursting
valve
Excess pressure
protection
Weight gas compare to
air
Dissolved in
acetone in a
porous mass
17
100 °C
No
Somewhat
lighter
Gas
200
350 °C
No
Somewhat
heavier
Liquid
50
100 °C
Bursting disc
Heavier
Liquid
7
100 °C
Safety valve
Heavier
Acetylene
Oxygen +
other air gases
Carbon dioxide LPG

32. Risks with gases

33. 33
Oxygen O2
Nitrogen N2
Argon Ar
Helium He
Hydrogen H2
Carbon dioxide
CO2
Nitrous gas N2O
LPG C3H8
Acetylene C2H2
Combustible
Combustion
supporting gas Inert/asphyxiating
Permanent
Condensed
Absorbed
Risks with gases

34. 34
Risks with with gases
• High pressure
• Inert/asphyxiating gas
• Fire and explosion
• Poisonous gas
• Low temperature

35. 35
Asphyxiating – Invisible danger
Most accidents with asphyxia happends because rules
have not been followed.
Typical causes could be:
● Deviated from current working environment rules.
● Training and control of work not sufficient.
● Defiencies in supervision team.
KVÄVNINGSRISK
AFS 1997:7 6 § In working area the ventilation
should be good enough that oxygen content
normally is not less than 20%. When oxygen
content in a working area is below 18% breathing
apparatus should be used.

36. 36
Risks when oxygen content decreases
21 % 13 %
15 % 10 %

37. 37
Ammonia Arsenic pentafluoride Bromine chloride
Dicyan Dichlorinesilane 1,1-Dichlorine
difluoroethylene
Disilane Ethylene oxide Formaldehyde
Phosphor penta- Germanium tetrahydride Carbonylsulfide
fluoride Silicon tetra fluoride Chlorine
Chlorine trifluoride Carbon monoxide Methylbromide
Methylchlorinesilan Nitrosyl chloride Perchlorylfluoride
Selenium hexa- Selenium hydrogen Sulfuryldifluorid
fluoride
Sulfur dioxide Sulphur tetra fluoride Sulfur trioxide
Tellurhexafluoride Trifluoracetylklorid Hydrogen chloride
LD50 0,5 - 2 mg gas / litre air
Poisonous gases

38. 38
Arsenic hydrogen Boron trifluoride
Bor-tri-chloride Cyanogenchloride
Diborane Fluorine
Fluorväte Phosphine
Karbonylfluorid Carbonylchloride
Chlorine dioxide
Chlorinepentafluoride
Nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen
monoxide
Ozone Hydrogen sulphide
Syredifluorid Vinyl fluoride
Volframhexafluorid Hydrogen cyanide
LD50
< 0,5 mg gas
/ litre air
Very poisonous gases

39. Handling

40. 40
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) i.e. safety
shoes and gloves, gas detector
• Read safety data sheet
• Handle cylinders gently
• Protect cylinder from high temperature and mechanical
impact
• Store cylinders vertically and securely to prevent them
from toppling
• When transporting gas cylinder use a cart
• Open valve carefully
• Make sure that oxygen is not in contact with grease
• Liquid gases always a risk of frost-bite if contact with
skin – wear correct PPE
Handling of gas cylinders

41. 41
• Handle and store in well-ventilated spaces
• Not stored in sealed container
• Use personal protective equipment
• In contact with skin –> frost-bite
Carbon dioxide – Handling dry ice

42. 42
LPG
Pressure and liquid volume at different temperature for a filled LPG-cylinder
15 °C
7 bar
50 °C
18 bar
65 °C
24 bar

43. 43
Safety valve
Gas
Liquid
1 kg leaking LPG in liquid phase -> 525 litre gas
LPG-bottle should always be standing
Outlet

44. 44
What is suitable
working clothes?
• Safety googles/Visor
• Gloves
• Boots
• Covered working clothes
Personal safety – liquid gases

45. 45
1. Frost-bites are treated as burns
- Water!
- Do not put any bandage or similar on the
wound! Can cause more damage.
2. If necessary go to hospital
How to treat frost-bite?

46. 46
Handling of cryogenic gases
Always pant legs
outside boot shafts!

47. 47
Handling liquid gases
What is missing?
Always pant legs outside boot
shafts!
1. Safety googles / visor
2. Gloves
3. Protect environment to damages
4. Personal gas detector
What else to remember?

48. 48
Equipment
• Use proper and approved equipment
designed for cryogenic gases

49. 49
Combustion gas – what does the law says?
§ Handling and storage should be with precaution
to avoid risk for fire.
§ Storage room performed in a safety way,
preventing fire to occur.
§ Equipment installed carefully and with
competence.

50. 50
Actions when fire
Warn staff and evacuate the area
Call 112
If possible with safety respect
Shut off gas cylinders, take away cylinders
Cool cylinders with water from a safe space
Mark gas cylinders that has been in a fire, contact
AGA

51. 51
Actions when gas leaking out of cylinder
Close the valve of gas cylinder
Ventilate the area
Evacuate
If a bigger gas leakage – rope off the area
Alarm rescue department if a big gas leakage
Identify what was causing the gas leakage –
change broken part
If gas is liquid or cold – measure gas content in
lower areas

52. Storage of gas cylinders

53. 53
• Separate combustible gases
from others gases
• Well closed cylinders
• Protect against abnormal
heating
• Well ventilated area
• Store cylinders inaccessible
for unauthorized people
• Warning signs
Storage of gas cylinders
Gas
storage
Acetylene Oxygen

54. Colour marking of gas cylinders

55. 55
Colour marking – safety
• Colour marking according to european standard
– EN 1089-3
• The colour of the cylinder breast informs about the property
of the gas in the cylinder
• Identification of gas property from a long distance
• Important for emergency personnel

56. 56
Cylinder colours
Colour of cylinder not regulated by standard. AGA has choosed following
colours:
Black
Industrial
gases
Acetylene Food gases Specialty
gases
Medical gases
Maroon Green Silver grey White

57. 57
Specialty gases – Pure gases

58. 58
Gas mixtures

59. 59
What information on cylinder label?
1. Product name
2. Product information
3. Warning symbol(s)
4. Material number
5. Transport information
6. Safety information
1 2 3 4
5 6

60. Gas equipment

61. 61
Gas equipment
• Gas panels
• Point of use
• Cylinder regulators
• Flame barrier C2H2
• Setback protection C2H2
• Central gas supply system

62. 62
Continous supervision
AFS 2002:1 Use of pressurised devices, central gas supply system
• Control
• That controls and ev inspections are performed
• Function control
• Gas panels, point of uses, setback protection (C2H2) etc
• Leak detection and ocular inspection of pipe system
• Recommendation 2 times/year when combustible gases
• Known defiencies corrected
• Control of risk assessment, safety inspections, reports of incident
• Marking, visible
• Media, flow direction, safety sign
• Instructions for operation
• Flowchart, updated

63. 63
Continous supervision, continued
• Ocular control/change of hose (both high and low pressure hose)
• Control of gas system according to supplier both daily and yearly
inspections
• Control that gas cylinders are chained
• Controll of setback protection (C2H2) every 24st month
Part or all of supervision of gas system can be done by another company
but it is the responsibility of the owner of the gas system that the
supervision is done.

64. 64
Portabel gas detector
Stationary CO2 alarm
Use of gas detectors

65. Training

66. 66
Training
AGA Gas AB offers following trainings:
1) Open courses at AGA Gas AB:
● Safety handling of gas
● Gas safety according to laws, regulations and rules
● Superintendent training for a bigger gas system
2) Courses at customer site
More information at: www.aga.se or from your local sales
representative

67. 67
Summary
• Gas superintendent
• Competent staff
• Risk assessment
• Be aware of risks with gases: high pressure, asphyxiating, poisonous, combustible,
coldness
• Correct handling and storage of gas cylinders: chained, separate combustible gases
from other gases, well ventilated working areas, personal protective equipment, gas
detector
• Colour marking of gas cylinders, especielly yellow and red colours
• Continous supervision / yearly maintenance of gas equioment
• Continous training

68. 68
Questions?

69. 69
NOTHING CAN STOP PROGRESS
Thanks for your attention!

70. 70
Contact information AGA Gas AB
• Melina van Meer
• 0767-244 786
• melina.van.meer@se.aga.com
• www.aga.se
• gasorder@se.aga.com