Medical oxygen is used for treatment in hospitals and is considered on par with a drug or a pharmaceutical product. 

Medical oxygen, also called supplemental oxygen, is used to “restore tissue oxygen tension by improving oxygen availability in a wide range of conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cyanosis, shock, severe hemorrhage, carbon monoxide poisoning, major trauma or cardiac and respiratory arrest. 

The use of supplemental oxygen can either be made through oxygen cylinders or oxygen concentrators. The two differ in quite a few aspects and are used as per the need. 

What’s the Weight of an Oxygen Cylinder? 

Oxygen is a gas that does have weight or mass to it. At standard temperature and pressure (0 Celsius and ~1 atmosphere pressure), oxygen has a density of 1.429 g/L, so 1,000 liters of oxygen would weigh 1,429 g.

But for storage purposes, oxygen cylinders are smaller in volume, so the pressure is higher to be able to store more in less space. 

Using the Ideal Gas Law, one can calculate the amount of oxygen in a tank based on its pressure, volume, and temperature.

The Ideal Gas Law Formula is PV=nRT where, 

P = Pressure

V = Volume 

N = Amount of substance 

R = ideal gas constant 

T = Temperature 

Here’s the Oxygen Cylinder Storage Checklist – General Use

1) Handle the cylinders with care. You may use a trolley to move it. 

2) Secure the cylinders tightly and keep them upright. Additionally, don’t keep oxygen cylinders in direct sunlight or heat; always keep them in a standing position. Keep the cylinder valve protected with tightened caps & secure.

3) When not using the oxygen cylinders, secure them in properly ventilated spaces. 

4) The cylinders must be stored away from combustible material and explosive areas. 

5) Don’t keep the empty oxygen cylinders at home. 

6) Keep the cylinders free from oil, grease, and dust. 

7) Don’t smoke while using the oxygen cylinder. 

Here’s the Oxygen Cylinder Storage Checklist – Patient Use 

While managing the oxygen cylinder for patient use, one must be very much conscious while having it in a hospital setting or a home space. 

The oxygen tanks are at risk of igniting and must be handled with immense care. 

Follow the following steps:

1) Complete setting the cylinder before placing the oxygen cylinder close to the patient. It involves using proper connecting equipment, slowly opening up the valves of the cylinder, and selecting the selection of appropriate flow of the cylinder. 

2) Always keep the cylinder in a properly designed holder. 

3) Don’t just place the cylinder very next to the patient’s bed. If you need to place it next to the bed, you must select the appropriate flow for the oxygen cylinder prior to setting it next to the bed. Also, turn it on.

4) These tanks should always be kept away from combustible materials. 

5) Such information must be available to all healthcare providers. Also, they must know how to manage an emergency situation if it arises.

6) None must smoke within 5 feet of the oxygen system. 

7) The oxygen system must be kept 5 feet away from heat sources like furnaces, gas stoves, fireplaces, candles, etc. 

8) Never place oxygen cylinders near the curtains. 

9) Never cover oxygen cylinders with a cloth or a blanket. Never carry a portable oxygen cylinder in clothing. 

10) Store the oxygen cylinder in a secure location to avoid tampering. 

11) These cylinders must be stored upright but can be stored horizontally.

12) Cylinders must be stored near an exit to facilitate ease of use and refilling. 

13) Use approved tubings and delivery devices. 

14) The cannulas must not exceed the length of 7 feet.

What Should Be Done If an Oxygen Cylinder Catches Fire? 

An oxygen cylinder won’t catch fire (at least, not at any reasonable earthly temperature).

The fire risk from compressed oxygen is nonetheless considerable. Oxygen under pressure will cause hydrocarbon lubricants (say someone has oiled a sticky valve) to catch fire spontaneously, known as dieseling.

Oxygen cylinders and tanks are stored on floors made of bare concrete: not asphalt (which will cheerfully burn in oxygen).

If an oxygen cylinder (or any compressed gas) is in a building fire, the neck of the cylinder contains a channel made of fusible metal (such as Wood’s metal), which will melt and release the contents to the atmosphere in a controlled fashion. This means that the cylinder will not explode, but it means that the oxygen will be released to considerably accelerate the fire.

Standard firefighting techniques would be employed; there isn’t anything different you could use in this scenario.

The Purpose of Color Coding in Storing Oxygen Cylinders 

The color of the cylinder depends on the country. In the operating room, tons of gases are present, from normal oxygen to anesthetic gases like isoflurane and desflurane.

Even with a trained anesthetist, there is always a minor chance of exchanging the gas cylinders for the outlet, which may lead to a catastrophe.

Color coding helps identify cylinders that contain different types of gases, and it’s important that a layman, too, must be familiarized with such color codes. 

Almost all countries follow their own guidelines, but efforts have been made to prescribe universal color coding.

But still, some mishaps occurred after following the color coding system. So researchers came up with another mechanism called PISS (Pin index safety system).

So what is PISS?

It is a safety system that uses geometric features to prevent mismatches between the cylinder and the outlet. Each gas has a pin system and will flow only when connected to the correct pin.

Wrapping Up 

Handling medical-grade oxygen might seem easy, but it isn’t. You need to be very cautious while handling it. Storing and handling oxygen cylinders is not just the responsibility of the healthcare professionals and the paramedic staff. Even non-medical personnel must know how to handle it.