Air Liquide Newtop

When safety and ergonomics converge with structural robustness

Gas cylinders are typically employed in harsh work environments. If gas tubes are pulled at, a cylinder may tilt or fall off a loading platform during handling. In either case, a rupture to the delicate valve could cause severe physical damage as well as posing an unacceptable risk of injury to workers close by. To prevent this from happening, gas cylinders are often fitted with a valve guard that has to protect the valve from damage even after a free fall on the tip.

In this context, good design not only has to achieve ergonomic cylinder handling and guarantee good access and visibility of all valve functions and gauges, it has also to take into account the distribution of forces and deformations during impact. This approach made it possible to create a physical structure that provides the necessary resistance to impact with minimum material usage, resulting in a light and manageable guard.