Wear safety goggles, gloves, long sleeved lab coat and closed toe shoes when handling compressed gases that are irritants, corrosive or toxic.

	Transport gas cylinders in carts secured and capped.
	Use only Compressed Gas Association standard combinations of valves and fittings for compressed gas installations. Always use the correct pressure regulator.
	Place gas cylinders in such a way that the cylinder valve is accessible at all times. The main cylinder valve should be closed as soon as the gas flow is no longer needed. Do not store gas cylinders with pressure on the regulator.
	Use soapy water to detect leaks of hazardous gases. Leak test the regulator, piping system and other couplings after performing maintenance or modifications which could affect the integrity of the system.
	Oil or grease on the high pressure side of an oxygen cylinder can cause an explosion. Do not lubricate an oxygen regulator or use a fuel/gas regulator on an oxygen cylinder.
	Never bleed a cylinder completely empty. Leave a slight pressure to keep contaminants out (172 kPa or 25 psi).

	All gas cylinders should be clearly marked with appropriate tags indicating whether they are in use, full, or empty. Empty and full cylinders should not be stored in the same place.
	Cylinders of toxic, flammable or reactive gases should be purchased in the smallest quantity possible and stored/used in a fume hood or under local exhaust ventilation. If at all possible avoid the purchase of lecture bottles. These cylinders are not returnable and it is extremely difficult and costly to dispose of them. Use the smallest returnable sized cylinder.

All gas cylinders should be capped and secured when stored. Use suitable racks, straps, chains or stands to support cylinders. All cylinders, full or empty, must be restrained and kept away from heat sources. Store as few cylinders as possible in your laboratory.

Special Precautions for Hydrogen
Hydrogen gas has several unique properties that make it a potential danger with which to work. It has an extremely wide flammability range (LEL 4%, UEL 74.5%) making it easier to ignite than most other flammable gases. Unlike most other gases, hydrogen's temperature increases during expansion. If a cylinder valve is opened too quickly the static charge generated by the escaping gas may cause it to ignite. Hydrogen burns with an invisible flame. Caution should therefore be exercised when approaching a suspected hydrogen flame. A piece of paper can be used to tell if the hydrogen is burning. Hydrogen embrittlement can weaken carbon steel, therefore cast iron pipes and fittings must not be used. Seamless tubes should be used. Those precautions associated with other flammable substances also apply to hydrogen.