Safety Precautions during Gas Leakages - Essay Example

A number of ways will be employed in identifying the leaking liquefied compressed gas. The first way is by checking the cylinder for any stamps or labels that will help in identifying the gas (Compressed Gas Association, 2003, p. 25). The color of the container may be used to identify the gas although this is not the surest way of identifying the compressed gas because colors vary from supplier to the other. The other way is to check out labels and signs posted on the container of the compressed gas.

The smell of the gas will also aid in identifying the gas.Since the said gas is flammable and toxic as well as poisonous, the radius of the initial isolation zone will have to be wide enough so that the leakage can be contained without posing a massive danger to the nearby living things particularly animals and humans. This will be determined depending on the magnitude of the leakage, day or night conditions and the type and nature of the gas. The leakage will definitely lead to a large spill and in this case, the radius will be 0.

6 km day or 2.2km at night (Compressed Gas Association, 2003, p. 33).These safety precautionary routes will form the basis of handling this response; that is in responding to this gas leakage, the identification of the gas will have to be ascertained after which the initial isolation radius will be determined. Another very important aspect of this response is the type of personal protective equipment to be used. Before any action is taken, nose mask or gas mask that covers the entire face, eye goggles and hand gloves are the foremost PPEs that one will need to put on when assessing the safe response in containing the leakage (Compressed Gas Association, 2003, p. 46). The nature and type of gas will also guide in the process of determining other important PPEs to be used.

Therefore, the PPEs required for this response are; gas mask masks, eye goggles, helmet, hand gloves, safety boots, and aprons.