Hazard Considerations

7. Fire extinguishers containing a compressed gas will be stored in the compressed gas area

according to the assigned HCC.

B. Hazard Considerations. Cylinders may contain poisonous, flammable, corrosive, reactive,

oxidizing, or other hazardous materials. Many cylinders are filled with hazardous and

nonhazardous gases under moderately or extremely high pressures. The prolonged storage of

cylinders at temperatures in excess of 125oF., may also cause leakage, distortion, failure of safety

release devices, or explosion. Care must be exercised to ensure that unprotected valve outlets are

not physically damaged during storage and handling.

C. Basic Requirements.

1. All storage facilities for compressed gases should be separated from other buildings by at

least 50 feet. Compressed gases should be stored in roofed, open-sided sheds on an above-grade

concrete slab if climatic conditions are favorable and security precautions are adequate. Sheds

should be constructed of light, noncombustible materials. Cylinders of flammable gases and

gases that support combustion must be stored in separate sheds with a distance of at least 50 feet

between sheds or by an approved firewall or fire barrier. The storage arrangement should protect

the cylinders from direct exposure to sunlight.

2. An enclosed storage facility, if used, should be a single story detached, compressed gas

warehouse or cutoff area within a general purpose warehouse modified for the storage of

compressed gases. It should include the protective features for hazardous materials storage

identified by the reference cited in paragraph 4.7. In addition, consideration should be given to

the recommendations identified for the specific hazards associated with each cylinder (e.g.,

chapter 4, section II, flammables - paragraph 4.13; poisons - paragraph 4.18; corrosives -

paragraph 4.10; and oxidizers - paragraph 4.11 outlined under each type of hazardous materials

storage in this chapter.

3. To assure complete identification, compressed gas cylinders should be tagged/labeled with

the stock number for the full cylinder and the stock number for the empty cylinder.

D. Applicable HCCs. The following HCCs should be stored in storage type G:

1. G1, Gas, Poison (Nonflammable).

2. G2, Gas, Flammable.

3. G3, Gas, Nonflammable.

4. G4, Gas, Nonflammable, Oxidizer.

5. G5, Gas, Nonflammable, Corrosive.

6. G6, Gas, Poison, Corrosive (Nonflammable).

7. G7, Gas, Poison, Oxidizer (Nonflammable).

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