What are the hazards associated with working with flammable gases?

1 Answer
Jan 11, 2018

Well, flammable means combustible, i.e. liable to react with dioxygen....

Explanation:

But when we supply a gas, we usually store ONLY the one gas in the cylinder... And thus propane, or methane, or butane, comes out of the gas when we open it. And of course, once it is expelled from the mother container, it is in contact with atmospheric oxygen...and so it can undergo combustion....

#CH_4(g) +2O_2(g) rarr CO_2(g) +2H_2O(l)#

In the gas cylinder itself, there is only the propane or methane or butane fuel...no oxidant...so it is fairly safe. Once years ago, we were brought in to dispose of a leaky propane tank...now propane, so I am told, is odourless, but they add ethyl mercaptan, #H_3C-CH_2SH# in very small quantities to make leaks apparent to the nose. The guy who showed us was actually smoking a cigarette. And most of us had kittens when we saw the ciggy.

Gasoline when it is dispensed, is a fairly involatile liquid...of course we are mindful of possible sources of ignition, i.e. lit cigarettes, electrical discharge, power tools...etc.