Safety Tips For Supplemental Oxygen Users
For those on supplemental oxygen safety is something that has to be taken very seriously. Oxygen as such is not flammable, it is a safe gas. However it also feeds combustion and this means that flames are strengthened by it. Therefore some simple and logical safety precautions have to be taken. The simplest of all is to keep away from an open flame.
In this article I will deal with three aspects of oxygen safety.
Oxygen Safety and The Patient.
There are various stages a patient who needs supplemental oxygen, goes through. One is the initial stage which includes adjusting to a new way of life. Normally the patient will be very aware that he or she requires supplemental oxygen and at this stage will begin to get used to the unit that supplies the much-needed air. This awareness will be of great assistance from a safety point. Another stage that comes further down the line, is when the patient is fully adjusted. At this time although much of his relationship with his supply is second nature and so mistakes can be made. It is always a good idea for the patient to have a simple checklist that includes turning off the supply when not in use; make sure the hose is always untangled; the unit is kept away from traffic; and so on.
We all need oxygen. We need it to keep alive, to be able to be active and also, very importantly, as oxygen feeds our bodies including our thinking process. Unfortunately this means that when there is insufficient oxygen many times the last person to notice is the patient. For those who interact with the patient there some things they should look out for.
Oxygen Safety Tips.
As mentioned before oxygen is not flammable but it does feed combustion, so the following on the series of logical and simple tips.
Note: these relate to potential hazards with flame.
There’s also another aspect that should be taken into account and that is relating to the oxygen supply:
