The European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) has launched a new free eLearning package on oxygen safety in a bid to increase awareness of the special safety requirements for oxygen and improve safety.
EIGA members’ foremost experts in oxygen safety have developed this eLearning so that it can be used for training their own employees and contractors.
It can also be used to provide safety information to customers and users such as medical practitioners and welders/fabricators.
Oxygen is one of the most widely distributed and used gas. It is used for a diverse range of applications such as combustion applications in glass/steel industries, cutting/welding, modified atmosphere packaging in food and as an oxidant in space rockets.
Its medical use is currently saving countless lives every single day, especially in these pandemic times.
“Many users are unaware of the particular safety requirements for storage and handling of oxygen and treat it in a similar manner to inert gases like nitrogen,” EIGA explained in a statement.
“Probably the most famous incident involving oxygen is the Apollo 1 launch pad fire where a pure oxygen atmosphere led to the ignition and rapid development of a fire that had tragic consequences.”
“Other less well-known incidents have also occurred across a wide range of applications.”
“Handling and storage of oxygen requires care and particular rules should be followed to avoid such incidents.”
This eLearning package introduces the basic concepts of oxygen safety, material compatibility and oxygen cleaning.
