Oxygen Cylinder Storage

[Jitter77]

Hello,

I work maintenance in a nursing home and we are going through about 160 O2 tanks a week. We simply do not have enough indoor storage to have the tanks stored / labeled correctly. We wanted to erect a locked fence outside with a roof, but trying to interpret the code correctly. First of all the back of our new fence will be a vinyl privacy fence. We want to have a chain link fence w/ a double gate and privacy slats on the other 3 sides. I know the O2 has to be stored 20ft away from combustibles, but we are trying to determine what constitutes as combustible. We have 2 standard dumpsters that would be only about 8ft away, and on the backside of the vinyl fence is a parking lot with the closest car being probably 10-15 ft away. I know trash is considered combustible, but if its contained w/in the dumpster is it still considered combustible? Also is a car considered combustible? We do not want to spend $1600 on a fence only have have life safety say we can not put it there. I should note we want to store 48-72 regular size O2 cylinders inside the fence.

Thanks for the help​

 

[MatthewJWillis]

I think the best bet would be to contact your local fire official. Second, most nursing homes have a separate approval entity as well. If you do, contact them as well.
Yes cars are Highly "combustible".
Your proximity to them may come into question.

Dumpsters burn like hell. Most of the time inside themselves..

The phone call/s gets all the correct answers for your situation.

R/
Matt

 

[MJCronin]

As an alternate to a contracted fence, consider the purchase of a couple of approved, locking cage cabinets designed specifically for oxygen storage.

They are painted, visible and (frequently) approved by local authorities.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/s...binets/cylinder/cylinder-tank-storage-cabinet

As your needs change, you can add or subtract storage cabinets...

What has your oxygen supplier suggested ?

What do his other customers use ??? Can you informally contact them and ask questions ??

Keep us in the loop ...... finish this thread and tell us of your final solution !!!!!

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[PEDARRIN2]

With that much weekly usage, why not a bulk liquid oxygen tank?

 

[cdafd]

PEDARRIN2 (Mechanical)17 Feb 16 18:18
With that much weekly usage, why not a bulk liquid oxygen tank?

Than you have to train people to fill them, and that hazard

 

[cdafd]

You should be ok. Will need to look at the NFPA standard, as long as you are just storing them.

 

[cdafd]

Suggest build three sided Cmu wall, should solve concern and be a little more secure

 

[PEDARRIN2]

When I made my comment, I was thinking more "hospital" use of oxygen where there are gas outlets rather than individual use of cylinders. It would not be feasible to require the nursing home employees to fill the cylinders from a bulk oxygen tank.

 

[chicopee]

The 20' separation that you are referring is with combustible gases and liquids such as petroleum products and welding gases. This 20' separation can be negated with the installation of a 1/2 hr fire resistance barrier such as steel plates or concrete enclosure. OSHA regulations has a standard in their 29 CFR 1910. I, third the motion to
PEDDARIN2 suggestion that way you don't have to worry about handling procedures, securing cylinders and loosing the cylinder caps which would be a safety violation.

 

[racookpe1978]

And, making his situation "more difficult" is the mobility of his patients: A hospital "locks in" its oxygen patients into known locations on beds serviced by trained professionals. So their connections can be predicted, and the bed is expected to be rolled into predictable places in the room to get everything hooked up to standard connections. So, rolling the bed room-to-room and "mobility" is an exceptional case. Not the rule.

A nursing home must give all of its patients mobility (and it becomes an advertising point even)! So the little bottles are the 99.9% rule, and big ones are even more inconvenient. Nursing home employees are often SEIU (non-nurse) and are often temporaries or themselves moving from job-to-job more often than a degreed nurse or long-time professional hospital industrial tech.

Still, 160 2 inch dia x 24 inch long small bottles should not take up too much space. Have you though of racks or a different enclosure rather than a chain-link (attractive theft nuisance) fence?