Oxygen is an odorless and colorless gas obtained from the air. It is transported in a compressed form in metal, made of steel, cylinders. Transportation of oxygen cylinders must be carried out in accordance with all safety rules and in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents of Ukraine, because liquefied oxygen is a dangerous cargo, the explosiveness of which has long been known. Transportation requirements are directly related to the total amount of compressed oxygen transported. If the volume is less than 1000 liters, then more simplified methods of explosive cargo are presented for transportation.
Basic rules for transporting oxygen cylinders
The main rules for the transportation of oxygen cylinders are:
Basic rules for the transportation of oxygen cylinders by road, with a volume of more than 1000 liters
However, the requirements are imposed not only on the transported oxygen cylinders, but also on the vehicles that carry out the transportation. The requirements for the safe transportation of explosive goods to vehicles are as follows:
- Certificate of traffic police of Ukraine on the inspection of a technical vehicle;
- The driver of the car has an agreed route for the transportation of dangerous goods, indicating the volume transported, travel time, exact mileage;
- Certificate of the driver of the transport unit on the preparation for the transport of dangerous goods, valid at the time of the trip;
- Vehicle certificate of readiness for the transportation of oxygen cylinders as dangerous goods, with an unexpired shelf life;
- On the vehicle must hang identification signs that indicate the transportation of dangerous goods, in front and behind the car;
- The package of such a car should include additional fire extinguishing equipment: fire extinguishers, sandbag, shovel, in case of fire or explosion.
During any transportation, it should be remembered that liquefied oxygen is an explosive gas, therefore, containers should be treated with caution and care, observing safety rules.
Convenient trolley for transporting oxygen cylinders
Inside the enterprise, it is also necessary to move cylinders from their storage room to the workplace. For this, trolleys are used to transport oxygen cylinders. Warehouse carts of the usual form are not provided for such operations, therefore, the enterprise must have a specialized, cargo cart, designed specifically for transporting oxygen cylinders.
As a rule, trolleys for transporting oxygen cylinders are two-wheeled, pneumatically operated, and have a gripping and lifting mechanism. A comfortable handle and the equipment listed above allow you to transport oxygen cylinders, both empty and full, without much effort. The simplest in design are cargo carts designed to carry two cylinders. When transporting six cylinders, the trolley already has a reinforced platform that can withstand weights up to 300 kg. Two more handles are usually attached to a wide comfortable handle, located perpendicularly, on which a cart can be leaned in a horizontal position.
Absolutely all cylinders with any compressed or any liquefied gas are clearly classified as high-risk cargo, and their transportation must certainly be carried out in the strictest accordance with the established rules for their transportation. To ensure maximum safety of human life and health, as well as to ensure maximum environmental safety when transporting all kinds of dangerous goods, and, accordingly, oxygen cylinders related to them, a detailed list of specially created rules and generally accepted norms has been developed.
Transportation of oxygen cylinders is absolutely impossible without full awareness and competence in all matters relating to both certain regulatory documents of this trucking and all kinds of requirements regarding the safety rules of such a service as the transportation of oxygen cylinders. Speaking on this topic, it is worth noting that the transportation of oxygen cylinders and the responsibility for this process of the carrier of such dangerous goods is absolutely unambiguously regulated by several special legislative acts and sets of rules at once. Transportation of oxygen cylinders must certainly be carried out exclusively on spring vehicles or on special autocars in an exclusively horizontal position, and special gaskets must certainly be used between each of the oxygen cylinders. As such gaskets, wooden blocks with nests carved in a certain way, suitable for each of the cylinders separately, as well as various rope or specially made rubber rings that are at least 25 mm thick can be used (in this case, two rings are used per cylinder ) or it is fashionable to use any other gaskets, which are also designed to protect oxygen cylinders from all kinds of periodic impacts with each other.
All cylinders during the transportation process must certainly be stacked with their valves only in one direction. It is allowed to transport oxygen cylinders in specially mounted containers, but in the absence of such containers, they can also be transported in a strictly vertical position and, as mentioned above, with the use of gaskets between them, as well as protection from all kinds of falling or impact. Technical oxygen, as a rule, is stored and transported in special steel cylinders (corresponding to GOST 949-73), such cylinders are always blue. Oxygen cylinders are transported in accordance with existing rules for the transport of dangerous goods.
Everyone knows that oxygen cylinders must be carefully protected from possible heating, as this is an explosive substance. It is also necessary to avoid different interactions of oxygen with a number of lubricants.
1. Transportation of oxygen cylinders in the singular is carried out only with a special protective cap located on the valve and in cars, using special devices that prevent damage to it.
2. Oxygen gas cylinders are strictly forbidden to be transported in the cabin of any vehicle, as well as near flammable and explosive substances.
3. During transportation, the oxygen cylinder is prohibited to be left unattended, and during transportation it is not allowed to stop near an open fire.
4. The unloading and loading of oxygen cylinders is carried out with incredible care, without shaking or accidentally hitting the gas cylinders at all, in no case removing the cap. Installation of cylinders on the cap is strictly prohibited.
If you wish to receive additional information on this issue, then the specialists of our company will be happy to answer all your questions regarding the transportation of dangerous goods. Detailed information on how to contact us can be found in the contacts section.
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The need to transport gas cylinders by private vehicles arises among the drivers of our country quite often. Some need to transport gas cylinders to the dacha, others to the construction site. In such a situation, every law-abiding motorist has a question whether the transportation of gas cylinders in a car is allowed. Drivers are afraid of fines, because such cargo is considered dangerous. To understand this problem, we turn to the regulatory framework of the Russian Federation.
Are gas bottles allowed?
Transportation rules
To date, the SDA (clause 6.2) contains clear rules for the transportation of gas cylinders by road. This document defines the following provisions:
- It is possible to transport gas cylinders only in good condition of containers, their plugs and fittings.
- LPG equipment must have appropriate inscriptions, including danger signs and the name of the cargo being transported.
- It is impossible to exceed the established rate for filling the container with gas.
- The rules for transporting gas cylinders in a passenger car imply that the cylinders must be secured in the trunk using special devices that protect them from movement and shock. These can be bars with nests made of wood, rubber rings or rope fasteners.
- It is forbidden to transport a gas cylinder in the passenger compartment of a car.
- After each refueling, the gas container must be checked for leaks.
- Such cargo can only be transported in a horizontal position, with valves facing the passenger compartment. You can not install more than three gas cylinders in a row.
- Transportation of gas cylinders by road should be carried out taking into account the quality of the road surface and the lifting characteristics of vehicles.
- Transportation of gas cylinders in the summer should be done with extreme caution. The cargo must be protected from high temperatures.
Transportation of propane by road in cylinders, like other types of gas, requires compliance with safety rules. So, gas cylinders cannot be transported together with explosive or flammable substances.
When transporting gases, the vehicle must not be left unattended. It is strictly forbidden to smoke near the car or stop near open flames. It is worth abandoning the high speed of movement and sudden braking.
The process of loading and unloading gas cylinders should be carried out with extreme caution, avoiding sharp shocks.
Many motorists have a question whether it is possible to transport a gas cylinder in the trunk of a car. This is not prohibited if all of the above requirements are met.
Penalty for incorrect transportation
A traffic police officer cannot hold liable a driver carrying gas in cylinders in an amount in which it is considered a non-dangerous cargo. However, he has every right to issue a fine for transporting gas cylinders in a car without observing safety rules. If the gas cylinders are not properly secured, do not have protective caps, or do not have the appropriate inscriptions, the driver may face an administrative penalty. This can be a fine of up to 2,500 rubles, and in more serious cases - deprivation of a driver's license for a period of four to six months.
Those drivers who have installed LPG on their car, but have not passed the mandatory technical inspection of the equipment, which is carried out every two years, are also at risk of getting a fine.
Penalty for transporting gas cylinders: Video
In general transportation of 15 cylinders by one car is not considered as transportation of dangerous goods. And often you can carry much more without problems! Below we provide a detailed justification for this fact and give a table of the maximum number of cylinders with the most common gases.
Regardless of what traffic police officers think about this, there is a LAW, and court decisions [, ] confirm this.
Transportation of dangerous goods in the Russian Federation is regulated by the following documents:
"Rules for the transport of dangerous goods by road" (as amended by the Orders of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation of June 11, 1999 No. 37, of October 14, 1999 No. 77; registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 18, 1995, registration N 997).
"European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road" (ADR), to which Russia officially acceded on April 28, 1994 (Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 03.02.1994 No. 76).
"Rules of the road" (SDA 2006), namely article 23.5, establishing that "The carriage ... of dangerous goods ... is carried out in accordance with special rules."
"Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses", article 12.21 part 2 of which provides for liability for violation of the rules for the transport of dangerous goods in the form of an "administrative fine on drivers in the amount of from one to three times the minimum wage or deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of one to three months; for officials responsible for transportation - from ten to twenty times the minimum wage.
In accordance with paragraph 3 of paragraph 1.2 "The Rules do not apply to ... transportation of a limited number of hazardous substances on one vehicle, the transportation of which can be considered as the transportation of non-dangerous goods." It also clarifies that "The limited quantity of dangerous goods is defined in the requirements for the safe transport of a particular type of dangerous goods. When determining it, it is possible to use the requirements of the European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods (ADR)".
Thus, the issue of the maximum amount of substances that can be transported as non-dangerous goods is reduced to the study of section 1.1.3 of ADR, which establishes exemptions from the European rules for the transport of dangerous goods associated with various circumstances.
So, for example, in accordance with paragraph 1.1.3.1 "The provisions of ADR do not apply ... to the transport of dangerous goods by private persons when these goods are packaged for retail sale and are intended for their personal consumption, use in everyday life, leisure or sports, when provided that measures are taken to prevent any leakage of the contents under normal conditions of carriage."
However, the group of exemptions formally recognized by the rules for the carriage of dangerous goods are exemptions associated with the quantities transported in one transport unit (clause 1.1.3.6).
All gases are assigned to the second class of substances according to the ADR classification. Non-flammable, non-poisonous gases (groups A - neutral and O - oxidizing) belong to the third transport category, with a maximum quantity limit of 1000 units. Flammable (group F) - to the second, with a maximum limit of 333 units. By "unit" here is meant 1 liter of capacity of a vessel containing compressed gas, or 1 kg of liquefied or dissolved gas. Thus, the maximum amount of gases that can be transported in one transport unit as a non-dangerous cargo is as follows:
The most difficult situation is with acetylene. According to formal features (flammable gas, dissolved, 5 kg per 40 l cylinder), 333/5 = 66 cylinders per transport unit should be considered. However, taking into account that the cylinder simultaneously contains 13.2 kg of equally combustible acetone, in which, in fact, acetylene is dissolved, it seems that the maximum amount should be taken equal to 333/(5 + 13.2) = 18, which entered in the table.
Finally, in accordance with 1.1.3.6.4 of ADR "If dangerous goods belonging to different transport categories are transported in the same transport unit, the sum ... of the quantities of substances and articles of transport category "2" multiplied by 3 and the quantities substances and products of transport category "3" should not exceed 1000".
Example: Can 4 propane tanks and 8 oxygen tanks be transported together?
Calculation: (21[kg] * 4) * 3 + 40[l] * 8 = 572< 1000. Следовательно, такая перевозка не будет считаться перевозкой опасного груза.
It is significant that clause 2.11.2 of the Rules for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods states: "joint transportation of different classes of dangerous goods on one vehicle (in one container) is permitted only within the limits of the rules of permissible compatibility (presented in the table of Appendix 7.14)". The general meaning of the table is that the joint transportation of mutually reactive (for example, forming explosive mixtures) substances is not allowed. However, for some reason an exception is made for gases. Flammable gases (class 2.3 of table 7.14), non-flammable non-poisonous gases (class 2.1, which includes oxygen) and oxidizing substances (class 5.1) are compatible everywhere and are allowed for simultaneous carriage, while the transport of oxidizers and flammable liquids (classes 3.1 and 3.2) is prohibited. Perhaps just by mistake? On the other hand, according to the same table, class 3.3 flammable liquids with oxidizing agents can be transported ... In any case, we strongly do not recommend transporting oxygen and propane together without extreme necessity, and especially if the car body is closed.
All tanks with compressed, dissolved and liquefied gases, which include oxygen, acetylene, propane-butane, etc., are classified as dangerous goods. That's why transportation of gas cylinders must be carried out in accordance with the rules and regulations established by the government of the Russian Federation.
What documents regulate the transportation of gas by road
Today, gas transportation in Russia is regulated by several regulatory documents. First of all, this is the Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 73 (09/08/95), which, according to experts, is already outdated, since it contradicts many modern requirements for cars and road conditions. The second standard is Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 272 (04/15/11), where paragraph 3 of the General Provisions section states that the transportation of dangerous goods in suburban, urban and international traffic must be carried out in accordance with Annexes A, B of the European Transportation Agreement dangerous goods (ADR).
The main paradox is that Decree No. 272 comes from Federal Law No. 259, which applies to persons providing transport services, such as the transportation of gas cylinders. That is, if there is an agreement for the provision of such services, one should be guided by Decree No. 272, and in the absence of such an agreement (for example, it is necessary to transport a container from one warehouse to another with your own car) - by the old order No. 73. Although, in its explanatory letters, the Ministry of Transport emphasizes that in all situations ADR has priority and the movement of gas tanks should not contradict this agreement.
Transportation of dangerous goods - gas - by Promtekhgaz
The above regulatory requirements, by and large, apply to legal entities - companies that are engaged in the transportation of gas-filled tanks. For individuals, ADR makes an exception according to which the provisions specified in this document do not apply if the transported gas containers are packaged for retail sale and are intended for personal consumption, household use, leisure activities and sports.
That is, a traffic police officer does not have the right to apply any sanctions to a private person transporting a gas cylinder in his car, which is intended for his own needs. At the same time, the number and total volume of tanks are not regulated in any way. Claims can only be in case of non-compliance with the conditions for the safe movement of such vessels.
Many people transport gas cylinders in car trailers
Measures for the safe transport of gas-filled tanks
- Gas-filled vessels must be placed in the vehicle in a horizontal position.
- Caps are screwed onto each container to prevent its depressurization.
- Between the cylinders there must be gaskets: wooden blocks with special sockets, rubber rings or other materials that protect the tank body from impacts. Flammable materials (hay, straw, etc.) must not be used as gaskets.
- The car must be equipped with two fire extinguishers (powder or carbon dioxide) with a volume of at least 2 liters.
You can buy propane-butane in cylinders at the Promtekhgaz company, which provides high-quality gas products for both enterprises and individuals.
