GAWDA (Gases and Welding Distributors Association) and CGA (Compressed Gas Association) released a safety alert yesterday reinforcing the need to be extra vigilant in the receipt, inspection, cleaning, and repair of medical oxygen cylinders that have been exposed to flood situations.
Natural disasters can result in exposing a cylinder to a variety of hazardous conditions that include floodwater submersion, impact from debris, exposure to foreign contaminants like mud, sewage, and oil or grease, damage from falling, etc. If cylinders have been exposed to adverse conditions such as those listed previously, contact emergency responders or the cylinder supplier for further instruction. Cylinders with obvious significant damage or that are leaking should only be addressed by emergency responders with HAZMAT training or the cylinder supplier.
Contact information for the cylinder supplier is listed on the label. If a label is not present, the cylinder neckring shown can be used to identify the cylinder supplier.