Exhibit A shows cylinders well restrained. In this case there are two chains. Some states require two. Nebraska only requires one located at or just over halfway up the cylinder. The cylinders in Exhibit B are secured in wooden racks. Note that earlier in the information on lecture bottles, the lecture bottles were secured in a metal rack.
Exhibit C and Exhibit D show standalone cylinder racks. These are acceptable as long as they have been purchased from a manufacturer and all of the proper manufacturer’s instructions for use are followed. Some of these need to be bolted to floor and some do not. The standalone cylinder rack without a cylinder, Exhibit C. is common on campus. Exhibit D would need further investigation to verify if it is properly installed.
If you find one of these during your audit and you are unsure if it is acceptable, take a photo and we can research it further. In addition to this, straps and chains must be strong enough/in good repair to keep the cylinder(s) upright and they must be attached to an immovable surface such as a wall or a countertop. Cite this in the inspection if the restraint does not meet all of these requirements.
In addition to vertical storage, horizontal storage is acceptable, excluding liquified compressed gases like propane, so long as caps are in place and the cylinders are stored safely. For example, in the previous slides some compressed gas cylinders were not threaded to accept caps. Horizontal storage of these cylinders requires special attention to the valve to make sure it can’t be struck and damaged by other equipment. A common example of this are lecture bottles stored on their sides in cabinets. So long as the cylinders are compatible with each other, the cabinets can be closed and the cylinders appear to be stable, this means of storage is acceptable.
All cylinders including lecture bottles must be used upright. If you find cylinders in use that are in a horizontal position, cite it in the inspection. There are a few exceptions to this rule as some pieces of equipment are designed to use cylinders in a horizontal position. The most common of these are propane powered forklifts. If you find a cylinder in use and it is on its side and you question if it is allowable, take a picture of it for evaluation by a specialist.