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Topic: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2 (Read 516 times) |
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Bond007
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Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« on: Sep 24th, 2006, 12:05pm » |
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I was asking my GP's nurse about using welder's O2 and she became very adamant about not using it. She told me that while the O2 is identical to the medical O2, the tanks are not. Medical tanks are regulated by health agencies but welder's tanks are not. She told me she had a patient about 16 years ago who'd tried to save money by using welder's O2 instead of medical O2. Over a short period of time, he had died because of rust build up in his lungs. Apparently, the welder's tank had rust on the inside of it and it leached into the guy's lungs and eventually killed him. While the rust doesn't cause a problem in the welding process, it does cause a huge problem to one's health.
Please be very, very careful with the welder's O2 gang.
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| « Last Edit: Sep 24th, 2006, 12:06pm by Bond007 » |
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E-Double
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #1 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 1:17pm » |
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My oxygen is from a respiratory supply store that rents to...............welders shops
It's the same
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Bond007
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #2 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 1:27pm » |
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Not necessarily. I'm an engineer at a stamping & fabricating company and we get our gases from outside suppliers who ONLY supply to manufacturers. I know what their tanks look like. I've seen the state and quality of their tanks. Also, I do know that many of the tanks are stored outside and can easily rust from the outside inward. All I'm saying is to be careful as to whom you're getting your O2 from. Inspect the tanks, especially if you're buying welder's O2 from a strictly welding supply company. It can be dicey. Not that it always is, but it can be.
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| « Last Edit: Sep 24th, 2006, 1:27pm by Bond007 » |
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Jonny
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #3 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 1:33pm » |
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In order for rust to be present in a tank there must be moisture.....a welding tank will not work if there is moisture.....this guy must of been sucking from a non-fuctional tank (Welding wise)....
Buy two tanks and trade off at the gas house if your worried.
You cant cut metal with a tainted tank....Period!
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nani
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #4 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 2:32pm » |
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I was worried about the wear and tear welders tanks get. So, I bought a brand new one. It still looks fabulous. 
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wildhaus
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #5 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 2:45pm » |
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I just have looked into this matter on my supplier’s home page (http://www.carbagas.ch )
and the deferens (if there is) is in the purity of the content of the tank
all are > 99,5% O²
just the Technical one dose contain Ar + N2 ( < 0,5%) as well as the impurity caused
by the alloy of the inner (I think it’s the correct term) of the tank
But I do use the Med. O²!!! Ins. Pays......
Michael
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thebbz
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #6 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 4:18pm » |
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 The cryogenic nature of the gas does not allow for growth of any microbes, there is not a danger from infection. The envionment of pressure pure 02 and the lack of moisture does not allow rust to form readily inside the tank. The very nature of required hydrostatic testing would reveal any pitting or rusting inside. The gas is relatively the same. The danger comes from dyhydration due to the lack of moisture of the gas causing damage to the lung and throat tissue.
welding 02=medical 02
potential I die falling out of bed as well
jb 
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Bond007
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #7 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 4:29pm » |
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Ok, ok, ok, so perhaps she caused me to get a little over excited for nothing.
Can we forget this whole thing?? Please????
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mcf69
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #8 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 4:53pm » |
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Oxygen tanks (medical or welding), are the same as SCBA or SCUBA cylinders, every 5 years (in the US), steel and aluminum cylinders must be hydrostatically tested and visually inspected. The hydrostatic test involves pressure testing the cylider to make sure it won't rupture if over pressurized. The visual inspection consists of using a scope to check the inside of the cylinder for cracks or rust, if either of these are present the cylinder is taken out of service and scrapped as both could result in the failure of the cylider when pressurized. Are there cyliders out there that don't get tested?, yeah, sure, but these aren't comming from reputable suppliers or have been sitting somewhere for awhile. If in doubt look at the cylider, it should have a date stamped on it somewhere of the last time it was tested.
Directly from the DOT website on cylider testing: "A cylinder that leaks, is bulged, has defective valves or safety devices, bears evidence of physical abuse, fire or heat damage, or detrimental rusting or corrosion, must not be used unless it is properly repaired and requalified as prescribed in these regulations."
Link is at : http://www.c-f-c.com/gaslink/docs/dot_cylinder.htm
Now hopefully you can rest better at night knowing there is nothing wrong (hopefully) with your O2 
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Bond007
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #9 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 8:42pm » |
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Awesome! Thanks for that link, mcf69! I did not know that. That really clears up quite a lot.
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mcf69
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #10 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 10:37pm » |
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on Sep 24th, 2006, 8:42pm, Bond007 wrote:| Awesome! Thanks for that link, mcf69! I did not know that. That really clears up quite a lot. |
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N/P Bond, glad I could help put your mind at ease.....
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purpleydog
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Re: Potential Health Hazard about Welder's O2
« Reply #11 on: Sep 24th, 2006, 11:19pm » |
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You can always put a filter on the line, and it's a good idea to have a bubbler on it too, that will also catch any small particles coming from the tank, and get caught in the water in the bubbler. It also humidfies your lungs, so you don't dry out your nasal passages, and lungs, breathing it.
But definitely, get an inspected tank, and if yer worried, get your tank inspected. That should alleviate any worries. 
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