Oxygen gauge on Nitrogen supply

[sonflowerinwales]

Good afternoon everyone.

Whilst getting ready for my 14001/18001 audit next week, I noticed an anomaly.

We use nitrogen in a process to dry out chemicals prior to testing. I was auditing the area and realised the pressure gauge is marked "Oxygen O2" but being used to measure the incoming pressure to the room of nitrogen. (8 Bar)

The bank of cylinders outside is reduced from 200 Bar to 8 Bar, then piped through the building. It's a clinical cleanroom with oxygen monitors.

Is using an oxygen gauge to measure the pressure of nitrogen an acceptable practice?

Google seems to be hiding these answers from me today.....

Many thanks

Paul

 

[Al Rosen]

Good afternoon everyone.

Whilst getting ready for my 14001/18001 audit next week, I noticed an anomaly.

We use nitrogen in a process to dry out chemicals prior to testing. I was auditing the area and realised the pressure gauge is marked "Oxygen O2" but being used to measure the incoming pressure to the room of nitrogen. (8 Bar)

The bank of cylinders outside is reduced from 200 Bar to 8 Bar, then piped through the building. It's a clinical cleanroom with oxygen monitors.

Is using an oxygen gauge to measure the pressure of nitrogen an acceptable practice?

Google seems to be hiding these answers from me today.....

Many thanks

Paul

I would be careful based on this.

 

[Steve Prevette]

There is another thread here with a discussion of nitrogen/oxygen mixups. It seems to me that ANYTHING on a nitrogen system that says "Oxygen" is ripe for human error. In one story, a nitrogen tank was hooked up to the oxygen supply because the name of the company supplying the tank had the word "oxygen" in the company name.

 

[BradM]

Today is All Al Day. Nice post.

You do not want to mix gauge with gases; they need to be dedicated for the specific use.

 

[D.Scott]

Today is All Al Day. Nice post.

You do not want to mix gauge with gases; they need to be dedicated for the specific use.

I am a little confused. I thought we were just told in another thread that technology has already eliminated the possibility of mixing oxygen and nitrogen hoses.

Dave

 

[Al Rosen]

I am a little confused. I thought we were just told in another thread that technology has already eliminated the possibility of mixing oxygen and nitrogen hoses.

Dave

But not the gauges.

 

[ScottK]

But not the gauges.

right.

connecting hoses to source cylinders has been the focus of error proofing, but any shmo with couple of adjustable wrenches and access to various fittings can switch gauges.
I could probably walk out into my plant and put a hydraulic pressure gauge on a nitrogen line if I had a mind to.

As to Paul's question - If I were in your shoes I'd get it changed ASAP.

 

[SteelMaiden]

right.

connecting hoses to source cylinders has been the focus of error proofing, but any shmo with couple of adjustable wrenches and access to various fittings can switch gauges.
I could probably walk out into my plant and put a hydraulic pressure gauge on a nitrogen line if I had a mind to.

As to Paul's question - If I were in your shoes I'd get it changed ASAP.

yep, too bad labeling is not good enough....my dear ol' Dad used to say "Lord, protect us from ourselves."

 

[D.Scott]

Thanks for the explanation.

Dave

 

[Steve Prevette]

I am a little confused. I thought we were just told in another thread that technology has already eliminated the possibility of mixing oxygen and nitrogen hoses.

Dave

The problem is - nothing is foolproof as fools are so ingenious (Sam Clemens in Puddinhead Wilson).

There probably still are "cheater" fittings out there that if someone was determined enough they could get N2 into O2.