Technical Inspection
Cylinders in service are subject to a technical inspection. The following intervals for periodic cylinder inspections are established by the regulations:
- Cylinders filled with non-corrosive gases (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.) are checked at least every 5 years;
- Cylinders containing corrosive gases (chlorine, phosgene, hydrogen sulfide, etc.), as well as those installed on vehicles as expendable containers for liquefied and compressed gases, are checked at least every 2 years.
Cylinders that have not passed the technical inspection are deemed defective and rendered unusable by drilling holes in the body.
New data is applied to cylinders that have undergone inspection, while old data is removed.
Storage of Cylinders
According to the regulations, cylinders are allowed to be stored in premises and open areas protected from precipitation and sunlight. Warehouses are divided into compartments. In each isolated compartment, no more than 500 cylinders containing flammable gases or 1000 cylinders containing non-flammable gases are allowed to be placed. Cylinders are arranged in a way that ensures free access to them. Cylinders containing flammable gases (hydrogen, acetylene, propane, etc.) must be stored separately from cylinders containing oxygen, compressed air, chlorine, and other oxidizers.
Requirements for the Storage Facility
Premises used for storing cylinders with gases must be equipped with devices that indicate the presence of a dangerous gas concentration. In the absence of such devices, air analysis for gas content must be conducted in the facility at least once per shift. The floor covering and ramps must be non-sparking and made of inorganic materials. The operation of enclosed warehouses without ventilation systems is prohibited.
Instructions, rules, and posters regarding cylinder handling regulations must be displayed in the warehouses. However, other substances, materials, and objects are not allowed to be stored in such premises.
Handling and Transportation
During storage, impacts between cylinders or dropping them on the floor must be avoided. When manually rolling cylinders, it is prohibited to grasp the valves or touch the valves of oxygen cylinders and cylinders with compressed air with bare hands, gloves, or wiping materials contaminated with grease and oil.
Transportation of filled cylinders is allowed on vehicles, cranes, and other resilient transport means. When transporting cylinders, spacers must be installed between them, such as wooden blocks with recesses for cylinders or rubber rings or pads with a thickness of at least 25 mm (two rings per cylinder). Cylinders must be oriented with valves on one side perpendicular to the direction of movement.
Transporting cylinders to the workplace is only permitted using specialized carts or carriers.
Attention! It is prohibited to use cylinders that have expired the periodic inspection period, lack the required markings, have faulty valves, damaged bodies, or have incorrect coloring and markings that do not meet the requirements.
State Labor Administration 🇺🇦