AIR

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Main Hazards. All cylinders are portable gas containers and must be regarded as pressure vessels at all times. Air is non -flammable, but readily supports combustion. Never permit oil, grease, or other readily combustible substance to come into contact with air at high pressures. Adverse health effects. None. Air is non-toxic and non- flammable. Of the constituents which make up air, only oxygen and nitrogen are necessary for life. Chemical Hazards. In air which contains more than the normal 21% oxygen, combustible materials are easier to ignite and burn faster. The higher the concentration of oxygen, the greater the fire risk. In a compartment (such as a tunnel, caisson or chamber) filled with air under pressure, most combustible materials will ignite more readily and burn much more rapidly than they would in air at normal atmospheric pressure, because of the increase in partial pressure of oxygen, even though the air contains only the normal 21% of oxygen. Biological Hazards No known effect Vapour Inhalation No known effect Eye Contact No known effect Skin Contact No known effect Ingestion No known effect