• Identifying Your Gas Cylinders
• Cylinder Weights & Sizes
• Gas Risks
• Aparatus Safety
• Cylinder Safety
• Balloon Gas Safety
• Dispense Gas & Cellar Safety
• Safe Handling of Dry Ice (Solid CO₂)
• Tank Safety

Industrial Gas Cylinder Features

This information provides a summary of the characteristics of common industrial gases.

Key

Oxygen - A black cylinder with a white shoulder

• Colourless, odourless and tasteless
• Generally considered non - toxic at atmospheric pressures
• Oils, greases and solvents may react violently with oxygen
  and metals may burn. You should never use oil or grease to
  lubricate oxygen or oxygen enriched equipment as they can
  spontaneously burn with explosive violence.

Nitrogen (Oxygen Free) - A grey cylinder with a black shoulder

• Colourless, odourless, and tasteless
• Does not support combustion or life
• Non-toxic
• Non - reactive except at high temperatures

Pureshield Argon - A green cylinder with a bright green shoulder

• Colourless and odourless.
• Inert - does not generally react with other materials
• Does not support combustion or life.

Propane - A Red cylinder

• Odorised with a fish like smell
• Considered non - toxic but may cause dizziness at
  high concentrations
• Fire and explosion hazard
• Will ignite and burn instantly from a spark or piece of
  hot metal. Requires minimal energy to ignite in oxygen.

Acetylene - A Maroon cylinder

• Distinctive garlic like smell - recognisable above 2%
  concentration in the air
• Considered non - toxic but may cause dizziness at
  high concentrations
• Fire and explosion hazards
• Will ignite and burn instantly from a spark or piece of hot metal
• Lighter than air, so less likely to collect in pits, ducts,
  trenches and other low-lying areas.
• Never use equipment made from copper or alloys containing
  65% copper or 43% silver with acetylene as it can form an
  explosive compound.

For more information call 0800 111 33 for an Acetylene fact sheet or email us

High Purity Hydrogen - Red cylinder

• Odourless, colourless and tasteless
• Fire and explosion hazard
• Low ignition energy
• Will burn with an invisible flame
• Will collect at the highest point in any enclosed space unless
  ventilated at a high level.

CO₂ Vapour Withdrawal - A black cylinder with a grey shoulder

• Odourless but can cause the nose to sting
• Colourless
• Toxic at high concentrations
• Slightly corrosive in the presence of moisture
• Can cause serious cold burn

CO₂ Liquid Withdrawal - A black cylinder with a white shoulder

• A black cylinder with a white stripe running down the centre and a grey shoulder
• Odourless but can cause the nose to sting
• Colourless
• Toxic at high concentrations
• Slightly corrosive in the presence of moisture
• Can cause serious cold burn

Argoshield Light/Universal/Heavy - A green cylinder with a bright green shoulder

• Odourless
• Will cause asphyxiation
• Heavier than air