PN376 Cylinder Procedure (NOT COMPLETED)

Question 1

A cylinder can be defined as:

Answer 1

Any vessel containing a gas or liquid under pressure.

Question 2

Cylinders are constructed in the following ways:

Answer 2

• Welded cylinders: two steel halves welded together around the centre.
• Drawn steel: a single steel skin containing no weld.
• Aluminium cylinders: lighter in weight than steel cylinders and used to contain specialist gases.
• Composite cylinders: a woven “fabric” jacket impregnated with resin and protected by a hardened plastic outer cage. This type of cylinder is mainly used for LPG but can be found with various contents. Occasionally these cylinders can have an aluminium inner lining.

Question 3

Who are mobilised to all cylinder incidents?

Who else can assist with the decision making process?

Answer 3

Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection Officer (HMEPO) -
who have received specific training for dealing with acetylene cylinders and hazard zone (HZ) management.

British compressed gas association (BCGA) competent person (BCGA CP)

Scientific Adviser - where appropriate

Question 4

All cylinders, regardless of their contents, are at greatest a risk of failure when subjected to?

Answer 4

Direct flame impingement

Question 5

At what temperature does a cylinder, when heated loose its tensile strength?

Answer 5

• 300oC for steel

* 200 – 250oC for aluminium

Question 6

What can be done in a situation where a composite cylinder is involved in a direct flame impingement and the cylinder has not yet become porous?

Answer 6

The fire can be extinguished and the cylinder cooled.

However, caution should be taken when moving any composite cylinder. In these situations it is best to leave the cylinder in situ and consult the HMEPO

Question 7

What should cylinders that cannot be identified as solely composite construction be treated as?

Answer 7

They should be considered as having a aluminium inner lining and treated as a steel cylinder

Be mindful that aluminium will fail at a lower temp therefore the cylinder may have already failed burning off the contents (HMEPO ) may advise gas dispersal techniques such as fine spray

Question 8

What is the initial hazard zone (HZ) and why?

Answer 8

200m

Fragments and in the case of acetylene the cylinder itself can be projected 200m also a fireball of up to 25m in diameter

Question 9

Cylinders contain gases which pose many and varied risks such as being flammable, toxic, corrosive or asphyxiant. Cylinders which are found to be leaking should be treated as?

Answer 9

A hazardous materials incident and Policy number 796 – ‘HAZMATS; fires and incidents involving hazardous substances’ applies.

Question 10

When on-route to a incident and the OIC becomes aware cylinders involved either by control or nature of premises on arrival tactics and considerations should be?

Answer 10

• Safe route of approach and subsequent position of appliances
• Possibility of Acetylene being involved
• Use of initial HZ overlay
• Surrounding risk may become involved if HZ implemented (railways major roads public buildings)
• Early notification to Brigade Control of RVP

Question 11

As soon as a cylinder discovered at a fire the IC should?

Answer 11

• Make every effort to extinguish any fire affecting the cylinder
• Cooling cylinder from behind substantial cover such as a suitable constructed double skin wall
• Attempt to Identify cylinder
• If it hasn’t been affected then remove or cover with jets
• Composite cylinders involved and failed contents allowed to burn off before extinguishing fire
• Send cylinder informative message
• Set up safe systems of work (SSOW) HZ zone