following paragraphs describe the safety requirements
fire when stowed in contact with paints, grease, oils,
detergents, and other combustible materials.
you must observe when handling compressed gas
cylinders.
Calcium hypochlorite itself is noncombustible.
However, it is a strong oxidizing agent that will
You must prevent cylinders from coming in
generate heat, liberate chlorine, and cause fire when it
contact with tire, sparks, or electrical circuits.
comes in contact with paints, oils, greases, detergents,
Exploding steel cylinders have the same destructive
acids, alkaline, antifreeze, fabrics, and other organic
effect as a bomb.
and combustible materials. Calcium hypochlorite
Do not drag or slide cylinders when moving them.
should be stored in bins or lockers. The storage space
You must use hand trucks, as prescribed by Naval
must contain the label "HAZARDOUS
Ships' Technical Manual, chapter 9230. If hand
MATERIAL-CALCIUM HYPOCHLORITE" in red
trucks are not available, tilt the cylinder and roll it on
letters on a white background.
the bottom edge. During loading or offloading of gas
cylinders, you must secure them to a cradle, pallet, or
COMPRESSED GASES.--Compressed gas is
any material or mixture in the container that has an
rack. Never hoist cylinders with electromagnets, or
absolute pressure of more than 40 psi (pounds per
with hooks or lines attached to the valve protection
square inch) at 70F. Or, regardless of pressure at 70F,
caps.
it may contain an absolute pressure of more than 104
You must prevent the altering or defacing of the
psi at 130F. Compressed gas also includes any liquid
numbers or markings on the cylinders. Do not add
flammable material that has a vapor pressure above 40
markings to the cylinders without approval from the
psi at 100F.
engineering officer. Do not issue cylinders if you
On ships, compressed gases are stored on the
cannot identify their contents.
weather deck unless the ship has specifically designed
The Naval Ships' Technical Manual, chapter
spaces below deck for such material. When stored,
550, contains detailed information about the stowage,
compressed gas cylinders must be vertical and secured
handling, and use of various types of compressed
with the valve protection caps in place. Compressed
gases.
gas cylinders must be located away from other
Anyone handling gas cylinders must be familiar
flammable materials, especially grease and oil. Also,
with the color-coding used on them. The color codes
the cylinders must be as far away as possible from
and markings identify the contents of the cylinders.
navigation, fire control, or gun stations. The cylinders
The color-coding is used as a hazard warning. The
must be protected from the direct rays of the sun or
color-coding consists of primary and secondary color
accumulations of snow and ice.
warnings. The primary color warning is the color
Yo u m u s t t a k e p r e c a u t i o n s w h e n s t o r i n g
assigned to identify the classification of the material
compressed gases below decks. You must prevent any
according to its primary hazard from a safety
leaking fumes from entering ventilation air intakes
standpoint. These colors appear as the main body, top,
leading to working or living spaces.
or band colors on compressed gas cylinders. A
Usually, empty cylinders still have some gas
secondary color warning is the color assigned as a
remaining in them; therefore, you must stow and
warning of a secondary hazard held by a material. This
handle empty cylinders with the same precautions as
means that the material may have another type of
full cylinders. You must handle compressed gases,
secondary hazard that is distinctly different from that
particularly the flammable and explosive gases, with
shown by its primary color warning. These colors
extreme care.
appear as band colors on compressed gas cylinders.
The following sections list the colors used as both
You must prevent cylinders from dropping or
primary and secondary warnings.
forcefully striking against hard surfaces. You must not
allow the tampering of cylinder safety devices. When
Yellow identifies flammable or combustible
not in use, be sure that the valve protection cap is
materials.
securely in place. If the valve of the cylinder should
Brown identifies toxic and poisonous materials.
snap off, the cylinder can behave like a missile. For
Blue identifies anesthetics and harmful materials.
example, a cylinder with 2,200 pounds per square inch
These are materials that produce anesthetic vapors and
(psi) pressure can travel 2,600 feet in free flight. This is
disastrous when it happens in a confined space. The
liquid chemicals and compounds hazardous to life and
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