We receive numerous calls regarding vehicles for the delivery of oxygen and equipment to the patient’s home. The following information is provided to your firm as a service of Mountain Aire, designed to assist your company in meeting minimum standards that have been adopted by this industry.
In addition to a driver being properly qualified, licensed (including the new CDL) and trained, there are a number of equipment operating and outfitting considerations. The below recommendations and regulations have been taken from:
1. Compressed Gas Association SB-9, Recommended Practice for the Outfitting and Operation of Vehicles Used in the Transportation and Transfilling of Liquid Oxygen to be Used for Respiration;
2. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations;
3. Hazardous Material Regulations;
4. The Standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
These recommendations and regulations include:
Equipment
1. The driver’s compartment must be physically separated from the cargo compartment, i.e. a separate enclosed cab and a separate cargo compartment;
2. Placards, as they may apply, must be posted on the two sides and the front and rear of the cargo compartment;
3. Non operating multiple vents (permanently open vents) shall be installed in the cargo compartment. At a minimum, there shall be one vent on the forward portion of each side of the cargo compartment and one in the rear. All side and rear vents shall be at or near the floor line. At a minimum the total natural ventilation shall provide one square foot per 300 square foot of compartment ceiling area;
4. No Smoking signs posted in the driver’s compartment and inside and outside of the cargo compartment;
5. Removal of the ash tray(s) and cigarette lighter from the driver’s compartment;
6. No combustibles in the cargo compartment, appropriate storage bins are required for disposable, i.e. nasal cannulas, tubing and contaminated products;
7. For permanently installed tanks, tank vents shall be piped to the vehicle exterior with oxygen compatible piping;
8. Emergency safety kit including safety triangles, fire extinguisher with a rating of 10 B:C or more, first aid kit, LOX drip pan, Cryo glove and apron, ear protection, face and eye protection, and personal isolation kit;
9. Tire chocks (§398.4 [P]);
10. USDOT number, if it applies;
11. FDA Regulation requires a weight and measure certifiable scale for delivering of Liquid Oxygen;
12. Adequate cylinder racks for High Pressure Cylinders.
Driver training including (but not limited to):
1. Applicable provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and the Hazardous Materials Regulations;
2. A review of the MSDS’s for each product handled;
3. Handling of hazardous materials, including compressed gas cylinders and refrigerated liquid containers;
4. Hazards and handling of refrigerated oxygen and compressed oxygen (and other compressed gases if they apply);
5. Refrigerated oxygen transfer procedures; and
6. Company policy regarding passengers and smoking.
Procedures
When transferring liquid oxygen from one vessel to another, or when filling the bulk vessel, the cargo door must be in the full open position.
Lox tanks must be vented to the exterior of the cargo van.
• Call us toll-free: 1-800-659-9110 •
©2001 Mountain Aire Medical Equipment, Inc.
