Use of oxygen therapy in the shop?

J

jererp

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I have just recently been put on oxygen therapy for pulmonary fibrosis. They give you so many precautions on what to avoid, it is scary. I'm just looking for some feedback on what other people are doing to stay active in their shop and if they still use their oxygen.
 
I deal with emphysema myself and have used oxygen in a backpack in the shop on bad days.
That being said if I am cutting with a torch or plasma or welding I don't use it, even grinding sparks can
ignite oxygen soaked clothing you just have to use caution and common sense to ascertain the risk, and
prepare accordingly.
Sorry to hear of your condition I can relate to it, and it ain't no fun, but I refuse to stop doing what I love
cuz sittin on my ass all the time would drive me nuts !!
 
Sorry to hear you need supplemental O2. You will need to be extremely aware of any kind of ignition sources. You may want to plan your activity, turn off the O2, do what you need, and take a break to catch your breath, and repeat. You might be on an intensifier with a long hose which is another hazard to deal with. If anything is hot enough to glow it will combust, and possibly catch something that is close on fire. Once you have a routine I'm sure you will figure it out. I have seen someone with a goldfish right from the store use a cigarette to open the plastic bag full of oxygen. Instant flame, and a fish flopping on the floor. I have had several instances of people who smoke, and use O2 singe their face when the cigarette burst into flames. Sorry to be long winded, it really is/can be dangerous.
 
I have COPD - over 15 years now. Has progressively gotten worse as I subject myself to welding fumes, acid fumes, cutting fluid fumes, etc. I haven't used oxygen at the stations of use [lathe or mill] but it is available 15 feet away in a rack. AFA serious danger, I am an avid hunter, and I was scolded by my Dr. for shooting a rifle out of a hunting shack while taking oxygen, so...............I agree caution is important. On the other side, there were times when I fist came down with it, and I was still smoking, that I'd catch myself puffing a cigarette while hooked up to a tank.
I guess the good Lord was watching over me for sure. :finger wag:
 
Not to my knowledge, not on our medical devices, O2 promotes combustion, and is positive pressure. The hose may burn back to the tank, but oxygen is not flammable, once the material is consumed the fire will die, IF nothing else is burning. That is how I under stand it....
If you light a match 2' away from a stream of O2 the match will flair vigorously, but not burn back to the source.
 
ah....so without a source of flame or spark at the nozzle it is essentially non-combustible by itself? I always wondered if it was like a gas line [old days] for lights coming into a house wall - it would burn as long as you let it but not cause an explosion backwards.....
 
LOL, not old enough to know about gas lights, but Apollo 1 is a prime example of oxygen rich atmosphere, and a spark.(RIP)
 
As Aukai pointed out O2 is an accellerant and not flamable on it's own..................
 
I wonder if you might get nomex coveralls (fireproof) or nomex shirt at least. Good ventilation will also help
The thing is, it may be a risk but think about it in terms of risk benefit. This changes over time, and generally runs backwards. Meaning that a 20 year old who has (hopefully) their whole life ahead of them take huge risks, where as as we get older we take less risks. It's a personal matter of deciding how one wants to spend the time they have here.
Do what you love, try not to blow yourself up, or worse set yourself on fire. make sure you have a good fire extinguisher.
here is a link to something I found on this
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Home oxygen and domestic fires

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
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