ASSE alert: Potentially dangerous breathing air cylinders
The American Society of Safety Engineers has alerted its 33,000 members about potentially deadly cylinders of class D breathing air often used when working in a confined space. In March, a fatal incident in Channelview, Texas, that involved two painters wearing sandblast hoods connected to compressed air cylinders was investigated by OSHA.
OSHA's preliminary tests found that the cylinders had a low level of oxygen. As a result, OSHA and the Houston-based manufacturer of the cylinders, Aeriform, are requesting that any and all air cylinders marked "compressed air -- breathing" that were purchased within the last three months be tested for oxygen content prior to being used.