As dangerous goods, compressed gases in cylinders must be stored and handled carefully to control risk. Here at STOREMASTA, we’ve developed our own risk management methodology, IDENTIFY - ASSESS - CONTROL – SUSTAIN, to ensure that every hazard associated with gas cylinders (as well as other dangerous goods) is managed correctly.
This post looks at the risk assessment process for compressed gas cylinders. We’ll take you step-by-step through the process and explain why this is essential for the safety and compliance of your worksite.
A risk assessment examines a series of workplace hazards and estimates the type of dangerous incidents or workplace accidents that could be triggered by the hazard.
For your onsite gas cylinders, the hazards may include exposure to toxic chemicals (toxic gases) fires or explosions (flammable gases) — or even manual handling injuries from staff carrying heavy cylinders.
The risk assessment for gas cylinders will then take a deeper dive to determine:
When dealing with a ‘known hazard’ there will always be associated ‘known control measures’ — these are well established and acceptable measures for meeting safety compliance. When known control measures are implemented, in some instances the full risk assessment process is not required by the WHS Act and Regulations.
IMPORTANT: The Safe Work Australia Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks is an approved code of practice under Section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act. Consult this code of practice to ensure your risk management methodology is up to standard.
Gas cylinders present a complex range of hazards. Therefore, it’s important to conduct a full risk assessment of any handling and storage areas where gas cylinders are present.
The hazards posed by compressed gas cylinders are exacerbated by the combination of:
In many cases, it can be difficult to assess how the hazards could interact with one another to create new or greater risks.
For this reason, we at STOREMASTA recommend using a full risk management methodology to:
IMPORTANT: A risk assessment is mandatory under WHS Regulations for high-risk activities including: entry into confined spaces, diving work and live electrical work.
The STOREMASTA risk management methodology was specifically designed in-house for workplaces and job sites carrying hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods.
Even though it consists of a simple 4-step process, it leaves nothing to guesswork or chance — ensuring that every hazard is identified and controlled.
Begin by identifying each of the gases, cylinder types and sizes, and where they are stored. Usually this is done in consultation with the staff who are handling the gases, as well as the suppliers who will provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and valuable insights into other potential dangers.
When identifying hazards that gas cylinders pose, you should also consider:
Identifying the hazards with your compressed gas cylinders — and other dangerous goods — is the first step in your risk assessment.
After identifying each cylinder hazard you should now consider the:
Step 2 helps you prioritise the hazards so you begin controlling those most likely to happen and have the most critical consequences.
In Step 3 of the risk management methodology, we apply each of the 5 elements of the Hierarchy of Control to all the hazards.
So, for every single gas cylinder hazard on your list you will consider:
IMPORTANT: When working your way through the Hierarchy of Control, you must keep in mind that personal protective equipment merely puts a barrier between the worker and the hazard. Therefore, PPE should only be introduced alongside other control measures.
Step 4 is key to ensuring that your workplace remains compliant. By conducting regular reviews to sustain compliance, you’ll be assessing the effectiveness of each of the control measures you introduced. You’ll also be identifying any new hazards introduced in the process.
Reviewing your controls, such as gas cylinder stores, will help you maintain chemical compliance and safety in your operations.
A clear example of this might be the decision to switch the warehouse forklifts over to diesel fuel instead of using LPG cylinders. Now the LPG cylinders have been substituted for another chemical, you’ll need to assess the impact of the diesel fuel on the workplace and the new hazards it may introduce.
Ultimately, the STOREMASTA methodology operates in a circular fashion until each hazard is controlled — and safety compliance is achieved.
You’ll then implement regular reviews and follow up risk assessments, determined by changes at the worksite or as a direct response to an accident or near miss.
For more a more detailed look at the STOREMASTA risk management methodology — including guidelines for applying it to the gas cylinder risks and hazards at your own worksite — you can access our free eBook. Gas Cylinder Storage: Compliance and Safety Requirements explains the methodology using real world examples and case studies of workplaces that carry gas cylinders. Grab your copy today to learn more about gas cylinder risk assessments and safety.