to main content Oxygen Cylinder - Storage Management | Home Care | Environment of Care EC | The Joint Commission
Oxygen Cylinder - Storage Management

What are the requirements for oxygen cylinder storage and the segregation of full, empty, and partial tanks?

Any examples are for illustrative purposes only. 

Storing oxygen cylinders, as per NFPA 99-2012, 11.6.5.2, is about ensuring full and empty cylinders are not comingled.  Those cylinders defined as 'empty' by the organization shall be segregated from all other cylinders that are intended for patient care use. Partials without an integral pressure gauge and those equipped with gauges with depleted volume content (as determined by the organization's policy) are to be stored with empty cylinders.

Full and partially full cylinders, as determined by organizational policy are permitted to be stored together. Empty cylinders shall be marked as such by either individual tagging, as indicated by the integral gauge (and defined by policy), or group signage, as appropriate. 

For example, if a rack containing twelve cylinders are in an area and four of the cylinders are determined to be empty, they must be segregated from the other cylinders and labeled as empty to avoid confusion or delay if a full cylinder is needed in a rapid manner, per NFPA 99-2012, 11.6.5.2 and 11.6.5.3. If there is a separate rack designated for empty cylinders, the designation of this rack, would accomplish the "marking" of the cylinders by the nature of the rack being labeled.

Reference EC.02.05.09

 
Manual: Home Care
Chapter: Environment of Care EC
First published date: April 11, 2016 This Standards FAQ was first published on this date.
This page was last updated on May 05, 2023 with update notes of: Editorial changes only Types of changes and an explanation of change type: Editorial changes only: Format changes only. No changes to content. | Review only, FAQ is current: Periodic review completed, no changes to content. | Reflects new or updated requirements: Changes represent new or revised requirements.
Was this response helpful?

If no, please comment on how we could improve this response.

If you have additional standards-related questions regarding this topic, please use the Standards Online Submission Form

Get Extra Help with Books and E-books

Browse our gallery of books and e-books to find trusted prep and readiness resources, practical checklists and toolkits, and resources on specialized health care topics.

Stay Informed with Online Education

Online education is the most convenient and cost-effective way to educate your staff and minimize expenses without the need to leave your organization.

Reach Your Safety Goals with eProducts

Assessing and sustaining compliance with accreditation standards or CMS CoPs can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Rely on our proven software solutions developed by our team of industry experts.

Can't Find What You're Looking For?

If you do not find an answer to your question, please contact the Standards Interpretation Group (SIG).

Note: To provide adequate support to those organizations that are either accredited/certified or seeking accreditation/certification, we will only answer those questions submitted by those organizations seeking accreditation/certification or currently accredited/certified by the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission no longer answers questions submitted by students or vendors. Thank you for your understanding.