Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 437 - DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND BUSINESS SERVICES, OREGON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH DIVISION › Division 2 - GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH RULES › Section 437-002-2102 - Acetylene

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) Cylinders.
(a) Employers must ensure that the
			 manufacturing, in-plant transfer, transportation, handling, storage, and use of
			 acetylene in cylinders comply with this rule and the provisions of Compressed
			 Gas Association (CGA) Pamphlet G-1-2009 ("Acetylene") (Compressed Gas
			 Association, Inc., 12th ed., 2009).
(b) Definitions.
(A) Confined space: A space that meets all of
			 the following:
(i) Large enough and
			 configured so that an employee can fully enter the space and perform work.
(ii) Has limited or restricted
			 means for entry and/or exit.
(iii)
			 Is not designed for continuous human occupancy.
(B) Enclosed space - Spaces that are
			 surrounded by something, and the only openings are access openings, for
			 example, drawers, closets, unventilated cabinets, automobile trunks,
			 unventilated cylinder compartments, or toolboxes.
(C) Handling - Moving, connecting, or
			 disconnecting a compressed gas container under normal conditions.
(D) PSIG (Gauge Pressure) - Pressure above or
			 below local atmospheric pressure displayed as pounds per square inch.
(E) Secure - Arrange to prevent
			 movement (including lashing and chaining), or a minimum of three points of
			 contact with other cylinders or walls.
(F) Use - Withdrawing and using the gas in a
			 non-recoverable manner for applications other than manufacturing or repackaging
			 of compressed gasses.
(c) Acetylene Cylinders General Requirements.
(A) You must:
(i) Store and use cylinders valve end up.
NOTE
: Gas suppliers and distributors may store
				secured containers in a horizontal position.
(ii) Secure cylinder(s) to prevent falling or
			 movement.
(iii) Use a cylinder
			 cart or cylinder pallet to move acetylene cylinders.
NOTE
: This rule does not apply to acetylene fill
				plants, handling, distribution, and maintenance processes where cylinders are
				tilted and rolled on their bottom edge only the minimal distance necessary to
				get them on and off carts or pallets.
(iv) Attach the cylinder to a pressure
			 reducing regulator or blow back manifold before opening the cylinder valve.
(v) Remove pressure regulators
			 before moving cylinders unless they are secured in an upright position on a
			 cylinder cart.
(vi) Back out
			 regulator adjusting screws before opening cylinder valves.
(vii) Protect cylinders from contact with
			 welding spatters and cutting or burning slag.
(viii) Install reverse flow check valves and
			 flashback arresters according to manufacturer recommendation.
(B) You must not:
(i) Drop cylinders.
(ii) Drag cylinders.
(iii) Apply a torch to the side of a
			 cylinder.
(iv) Hoist cylinders
			 using lifting magnets, slings, ropes, chains, or any other device where the
			 cylinders form a part of the carrier.
(v) Handle cylinders so that the bottom
			 fusible metal pressure relief device can strike an object.
(vi) Expose any part of your body to the line
			 of discharge of a fusible metal pressure relief device.
(vii) Use acetylene at a pressure exceeding
			 15 psig.
(viii) Exceed an
			 acetylene withdrawal rate of one-seventh of the cylinder capacity per hour for
			 welding, cutting, and allied processes.
(d) Transporting Acetylene Cylinders
			 (additional requirements).
(A) You must
			 protect cylinders and attached regulators:
(i) From damage when being transported by any
			 vehicle.
(ii) From abnormal
			 mechanical shock that is likely to damage the cylinder, valve, or fusible metal
			 pressure relief device.
(B) You must not transport cylinders in
			 enclosed spaces.
(C) You must
			 ensure that cylinders are leak checked prior to each placement into the
			 vehicle. Cylinders left in vehicles overnight must be leak checked at the end
			 of the day and again prior to transporting.
(e) Acetylene Cylinder Storage.
(A) You must store cylinders:
(i) In assigned locations.
(ii) In areas posted with signs prohibiting
			 smoking and open flame.
(iii) In
			 well-ventilated locations.
(iv)
			 Away from heat sources.
(v) Where
			 they are protected from corrosion.
NOTE
: Cylinders with or without regulators, kept
				in or on vehicles due to their frequency of use will not be considered as
				stored when a leak test is performed at the end of the day. When cylinders are
				used during multiple shifts, they must be leak tested at the end of each
				shift.
(B) You
			 must not store cylinders:
(i) Where they
			 contact electrical welding equipment or electrical circuits.
NOTE
: All high and low pressure cylinders in
				contact with or secured to a conductive table or column without being isolated
				from electrical current can become part of an electrical circuit.
(ii) Where they can be struck by
			 heavy objects.
(iii) In enclosed
			 spaces.
(iv) In confined spaces.
(v) Within 20 feet of oxygen
			 unless they are separated by a noncombustible partition. Partitions must:
(I) vertically extend at least 18 inches
			 above the tallest container and not less than 5 feet.
(II) laterally extend at least 18 inches
			 beyond the sides of the containers.
(III) have a fire resistance rating of at
			 least one-half hour.
NOTE 1
: (paragraph (1)(e)(b)(v)): single cylinders
				of acetylene And oxygen can be stored secured on a cart or used adjacent to
				each other Without a partition.
NOTE 2
: (paragraph (1)(e)(b)(v)): single cylinders
				of acetylene And oxygen secured at a work station without attached pressure
				reducing Regulators are considered to be in use.
(vi) With full and empty cylinders grouped
			 together.
NOTE
: (paragraph (1)(e)(b)(vi)): this does not
				apply to the Cylinder distribution process.
(f) connecting And disconnecting
			 acetylene cylinders for use.
(A) you must:
(i) return cylinders with contaminated valves
			 (mud, oil, grease, and similar material) to the supplier.
(ii) Secure the cylinder(s) where it can not
			 contact any electrical circuit or electrical welding equipment.
NOTE
: All high and low pressure cylinders in
				contact with or secured to a conductive table column without being isolated
				from electrical current can become part of an electrical circuit.
(iii) Inspect hoses before each
			 shift.
(iv) Remove damaged hoses
			 from service.
(v) Check
			 pressurized cylinder valves, fuse plugs and all connections for leaks prior to
			 use.
(vi) Use industry approved
			 leak detection solution or oil free soapy water.
(vii) Notify the gas supplier of any leaking
			 cylinder and follow the supplier's instruction for returning the cylinder.
(viii) Back out the regulator
			 adjusting screws before opening cylinder valves.
(ix) Close the system valves and release all
			 gas from the regulators before removing the regulator from a cylinder.
(x) Keep the cylinder key used for
			 opening the cylinder valve on the valve spindle when the cylinder is in use.
(B) You must not
			 attempt to repair or alter cylinders or valves.