Cylinders Storage Requirements

General Storage

Cylinders must be kept away from radiators and other sources of heat.

Inside of buildings, cylinders must be stored in a well-protected, well-ventilated, dry location, at least 20 feet from highly combustible materials such as oil. Cylinders should be stored in assigned areas away from elevators, stairs, or gangways. Assigned storage spaces must be located such that cylinders will not be knocked over or damaged by passing or falling objects or subject to tampering by unauthorized persons. Cylinders must not be kept in unventilated enclosures such as lockers or cabinets.

Empty cylinders must have their valves closed. If the cylinder is designed to accept a cap, the valve protection cap must always be in place and hand-tightened, except when the cylinder is in use or connected for use.

Fuel-gas Cylinder Storage

Inside a building, cylinders, except those in use or attached and ready for use, must be limited to a total gas capacity of 2,000 cubic feet or 300 pounds of liquefied petroleum gas.

Acetylene cylinders must be stored with the valve end up.

Oxygen storage

Oxygen cylinders must not be stored near highly combustible material, especially oil and grease; or near reserve stocks of carbide and acetylene or other fuel-gas cylinders, or near any other substance likely to cause or accelerate fire; or in an acetylene generator compartment.

Oxygen cylinders stored in outside generator houses must be separated from the generator or carbide storage rooms by a noncombustible partition having a fire-resistance rating of at least 1 hour. This partition must be free from openings and must be gastight.

Oxygen cylinders in storage must be separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum distance of 20 feet or separated by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high, having a fire-resistance rating of at least a half-hour.

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