Helium gas is one of the safest types of bottled gas that you can buy. However, that doesn’t mean you should treat it carelessly. Whether you plan on using it in specialist machinery or just to fill balloons, it’s important to handle your helium properly. In today’s blog, we’ll answer the two most important questions that you might have about helium safety so that you can handle this gas with confidence.
1. What type of threat does helium pose?
Unlike hydrogen and other forms of bottled gas, helium is non-flammable, which means that you don’t have to worry about accidentally igniting it. Instead, it poses a less obvious threat. Under certain circumstances, helium can have a poisonous effect. If someone breathes in too much helium, they can suffer from asphyxiation, which can result in brain damage or even death. But how could anyone end up breathing in so much helium? If multiple helium canisters become ruptured and leak in a mostly-sealed room, the helium expelled from them can temporarily force out the breathable air. Luckily, this is very, very rare. The amount of helium that would have to leak out is enormous, and it would have to leak out into a room where it couldn’t escape. Nonetheless, it is a risk that everyone who uses helium should be aware of.
2. How can you eliminate the risks associated with helium?
As we established in Point 1, helium canisters are only dangerous when they leak large amounts of helium. The best way to reduce the risk associated with helium is to purchase it from a reputable supplier like us. We pride ourselves on providing all our gases in durable, highly-resilient canisters that won’t leak. Of course, you should also handle these canisters with care. Finally, make sure to store your canisters in a well-ventilated area to ensure that, if any helium does leak out, it can escape into the atmosphere without posing a threat to human health.
Here at London Gases, we endeavour to provide gas in the safest possible state. Helium is a very safe gas, but there’s no reason to take unnecessary risks when handling it. If you follow the advice we’ve given you today, you can ensure that you’re safe when using this noble gas.
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