High pressure cylinders will be handled in accordance with procedures detailed in Safety Net 60 which can be found on the EH&S Web site . Improper handling of gas cylinders can lead to highly dangerous accidents.

In particular:

1) Long term storage - Room 25 is designated for long term storage. Cylinders are to be stored in designated sites secured to the wall in room 25. Storage on transportation carts is unacceptable. Cylinders should be stored with the regulator removed and the cap in place.

2) Short term storage - Sites in rooms 18C, 18D, 19, and 19A have been provided for securing cylinders to the wall or bench while running experiments. Short term storage is for a user or group running with the same cylinder more frequently than once a week. The cylinder valve should be closed except while in actual use. If you are not running in the next week, you will be expected to move your cylinder into the long term storage area in room 25. Leaving cylinders on a transportation cart alone is unacceptable. If you don't want to remove the cylinder from the cart, stand the cart upright and secure both cylinder and cart to the wall or bench. In some cases, this may block a doorway. In this event, you have no choice. Do not block the doorway. Secure the cylinder and remove the cart.

3) For transportation and long term storage, the cylinder should have the regulator removed and the cap in place. Regulators may be left on cylinders in short term storage.

4) Some locations will require that low pressure gas lines run across traffic areas. In such cases, the lines should be taped to the floor with brightly colored tape across the entire traffic area.

The Facility reserves the right to revise this policy as necessary.