Q. Where can I store propane and oxygen tanks?

A. Federal OSHA’s general requirements for compressed gas safety are found at 29 CFR 1910.101 and requirements specific to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or propane, can be found at 29 CFR 1910.110. OSHA’s compressed gas safety standard (29 CFR 1910.101) requires employers to handle, store, and use compressed gas cylinders in accordance with Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet (CGA) P-1-1965.

29 CFR 1910.110(f)(2)(i) states that propane cylinders must be “located so as to minimize exposure to excessive temperature rise, physical damage, or tampering by unauthorized persons.” Propane tanks may be stored indoors, but if they are, they must not be stored near exits, stairways, or other points of access or exit. Either indoors or outdoors, when not in use, propane tanks would be best protected in a well ventilated compressed gas cylinder cage that protects the cylinders from tampering and keeps them out of direct sunlight. Oxygen cylinders must also be kept in a well ventilated, well protected space where they won’t be subject to extreme temperatures, physical damage, or tampering.

It’s also important to note that different types of compressed gas cylinders need to be kept separate. CGA P-1-1965 states that flammable gases, like propane, must be separated from oxidizing gases such as oxygen. Inside of buildings, stored reserve stocks of oxygen and fuel gas cylinders should be separated by a minimum of 20 feet, or there should be a fire-resistant barrier between the cylinders made of noncombustible material at least 5 feet high with a ½ hour fire rating, in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard No. 51 – Gas Systems for Welding and Cutting. NFPA 51 states that fire-resistant barriers must interrupt the line of sight between the fuel gas cylinders and the oxygen cylinders.

See 29 CFR 1910.110 for more storage requirements for propane cylinders and the CGA P-1 pamphlet for additional storage recommendations for various types of compressed gas cylinders. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also addresses common questions regarding how to store propane containers in the standard title 58.