The Safe Use Of Oxy Fuel - Murex

74 CHAPTER EIGHTCHAPTER EIGHT 75A TYPICAL OXYFUEL GAS WELDING AND CUTTING SYSTEMEquipment assemblyCylinders should be secured in a trolley or cradle, chained or strapped to asupport and held vertically, and the plastic protection caps removed.The cylinder valve or pipeline valve should be inspected for damage prior toopening. If there is evidence of oil or grease on the valve, the cylindershould be returned to the supplier. Contaminated pipeline valves should bereported to the appropriate management responsible for them.PTFE tape or other jointing materials should not be used in effecting a sealbetween the regulator and the cylinder outlet. However some cone fittingsemploy O-ring seals while flat seats may employ a washer. If O-rings arefitted they should be carefully examined to ensure they are undamaged andhave not gone brittle or sticky.Only original manufacturers replacements which are guaranteed safein high pressure oxygen service should be used.Unwind the pressure adjusting screws on the regulators by turning fullyanti-clockwise.Fit a cylinder key to each cylinderONvalve spindle and ensure that it isin the closed position (turned fullyclockwise). The spindle keyshould remain in the valve thewhole time the equipment is inuse in case there is arequirement to shut off the gassupply in an emergency. (SomeOFF cylinder valves are hand wheeloperated). Ensure the cylinder issecured in a position where thecylinder key is fully operationaland not restricted in use. Ifavailable, use compressed air toclean the cylinder valve outlet. If not, snift (open and close briefly) thecylinder or pipeline valve (except Hydrogen) to dislodge water or foreignmatter from the valve/regulator inlet seating. Care should be taken to directaway from personnel or any flame or heat source.Offer up the regulator to the relevant cylinder valve. The Oxygen one to theblack* cylinder which will have right-hand connecting threads (turn clockwiseto tighten) and the fuel gas regulator to the appropriate fuel gas cylinder,ie: maroon cylinder Acetylenered cylinderPropane* or Hydrogen*Oxygen cylinders in countries other than the UK may be blue or green. Check the contents label