Portable Compressed Gas Cart Storage Requirements

Compressed gas carts of all sizes pose significant threats to persons sharing the same space. Occupational Safety & Health Administration regulations comply with international law and provide guidelines to laboratories and other facilities handling mass quantities of chemicals. When stored properly, these gas carts will not pose a safety threat to handlers in the same workspace.

Storage Area

• Volume of compressed gas expands with temperature, threatening areas surrounding compressed gas carts. If compressed gas is exposed to extreme temperatures above 125 degrees Fahrenheit without proper ventilation, the cart may explode, according to Air Products. Smoking, flammable liquid or other ignition sources must be segregated from compressed gasses by at least 20 feet, states Texas A&M. In fact, compressed gas carts must remain far from large crowds and away from emergency exits.

Restraints

• Minimal contact should be made with the floor to avoiding rotting or rusting of the carts. Sturdy restraints must secure gas carts in an upright position to prevent from tipping over. These restraints must be composed of noncombustible materials to avoid fires forming from friction between restraints and the gas carts.

Proper Ventilation

• Gas carts should be checked weekly at minimum to ensure relief valves are in working order, and the surrounding area should be tested to detect any gas that may have leaked. Valve protectors must also be installed, when the carts are not being used, to prevent air leakage. The area containing compressed gas carts must be ventilated to a separate area, and that area must also be monitored for gas leaks.