Medical gas cylinders must always be handled and stored with the utmost care. These containers hold various types of medical gases that pose massive safety risks, from minor issues like being dropped on someone’s foot to causing a large-scale fire, highlighting why following health and safety precautions are vital when handling gas cylinders.
However, even the best managed medical facilities are prone to accidents, so there are some common issues that happen when frequently handling medical gas cylinders.
Let’s take a look at 3 of the most common mishaps with medical gas cylinders:
Manual Handling Injuries
Medical gas cylinders are very heavy objects, so the most common mishaps typically relate to manual handling. For example, incorrectly lifting or transporting medical gas cylinders that are too heavy commonly leads to muscle and joint strains.
Many people overestimate the weight of gas cylinders, even when emptied, causing some people to damage their back, arms, or necks. Moving cylinders with proper technique is therefore required, such as using dollies to move the heaviest gas cylinders throughout a facility.
Dropping Cylinders
Even when medical gas cylinders are being transported using the correct procedures, accidents can happen and these are often in the shape of dropped cylinders. Due to their weight and awkward shapes, gas cylinders are easily dropped, whether from poor handling, environmental hazards, or just bad luck.
Thankfully, most cylinders are manufactured to withstand droppages without sustaining too much damage, although there are instances where the cylinder is extensively damaged. This can often occur due to incorrect storage techniques, which is why storing a cylinder in an upright position and securing them in place in high quality cylinder racks is very important.
Handling equipment such as dollies and lifting devices can significantly reduce these mishaps, along with proper training for all staff that are handling medical gas cylinders.
Damage to Cylinder Components
The smaller components of a medical gas cylinder, such as the cap, regulator, and valve, are more susceptible to damage so often result in the most common mishaps. Slight bangs, improper handling, or the odd dropping of a cylinder may cause damage to the cap or valve, which doesn’t have the same strength and durability at the cylinder body.
While the damage to these parts of the cylinder may seem minor, they can have a serious effect if their damage goes unnoticed or untreated. For example, leakages often occur from minor damage to the cap or valve of the cylinder, which in turn can cause damage to anyone touching the cylinder or even create a massive fire hazard.
JT Racking Systems is dedicated to supplying our customers with the highest quality Cylinder Storage Racks available. Our Cylinder Storage Racks are fully made in America with US Steel and Chain, and are Welded and Powder Coated at our facility in Southern California. Regularly used in hospitals, universities, or laboratory gas storage rooms, our cylinder racks can be utilized wherever securing of cylinders is needed. We ship anywhere in the United States from our Los Angeles area facility, at the best prices on the market since you are buying direct from the manufacturer.