COREGAS Pty Ltd MEDICAL AIR 100%v/v gas in gas cylinder Medicinal Gas

Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air contains the active ingredient air. It is a medical gas. Air contains contains approximately 21% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen and 1% Argon with trace contents of other inert gases (xenon, neon, krypton). The Nitrogen, Argon and trace gases quoted above are inert, but the Oxygen in air is essential to life for its cellular respiratory function.

Medical Air is used as a replacement for the normal air you breathe in (atmospheric air). It is used when, for example, the atmospheric air has been contaminated by fumes, vapours or gases which may irritate you or are dangerous to your health when breathed in. In ventilators and incubators, it provides clean and controlled air flow.

It is also used for mixing with anaesthetic gases during surgery.

Check with the person treating you if you:

• Have any other medical conditions
• Take any medicines for any other condition

Only use it if your healthcare professional or emergency services officer has said it is OK.

There are no known side effects of Medical Air, however during treatment, where there may be other gases given to you with Medical Air, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Air does not normally affect pregnancy or breastfeeding, but if there are other gases being given with Medical Air, you should tell the person treating you if:

• you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
  or
• you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

Elderly people

• Air by itself does not normally affect the elderly, but if there are other gases being given with Medical Air and/or they have a serious medical condition, then they will be monitored accordingly.

Children and Babies

• Air by itself does not normally affect children or babies, but regardless, they will be monitored accordingly.

Tell the person treating you if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

How much to have

Your healthcare professional or emergency services officer will decide how much to have.

Follow their instructions and use Medical Air until you are told to stop. They will monitor you or your child's treatment and change the amount if needed.

How you will have Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air

You will receive Medical Air via a mask or nasal prongs (tubes). It is normally given to you by a healthcare professional or emergency services officer.

• The gas cylinder will be set up for you - follow carefully any instructions you are given

If you have had too much Medical Air

It is unlikely that you can have too much Medical Air by itself, however if you were given other medicines or gases with Medical Air and you suddenly feel dizzy, have fits or pass out, then:

You must immediately:

• Tell the person treating you, or
• Go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital, or
• Phone the Poisons Information Centre
  (by calling 13 11 26).

Things you should do

Tell your healthcare professional or emergency services officer straight away if you:

• Feel that you are not receiving enough air
• Hear a hissing sound coming from the cylinder

Things you must not do

• Medical Air in steel cylinders MUST NOT be used in the same area as MRIs under any circumstances.
• Never smoke or stand near open flames, sparks or high heat while having Medical Air (which contains oxygen)
• Do not touch any part of the cylinder or equipment with oils or grease, and make sure your skin is clean and free from oils and grease (this includes not using oil-based moisturisers or creams on your face or nose.
• Do not use this product if the cylinder is damaged or the tamper evident seal has been removed.

Driving or using machines

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Medical Air affects you.

While Medical Air itself is unlikely to affect you, any medical treatment you had or other medicines/gases you were given, may affect you. Your doctor will assess you and decide whether you can drive or operate machines.

Drinking alcohol

Tell your healthcare professional or emergency services officer if you have recently drunk alcohol, and it is inadvisable to drink alcohol while having treatment with Medical Air.

Looking after your medicine

• Make sure that it is not near any other gas cylinders or anything that may burn (including oils, greases, tars and plastics)
• Make sure that there are no open flames or open lights nearby, no strong heat or anything that gives off sparks
• Check that the cylinder is secured so that it won't fall over.

Keep it where children cannot see or reach it.

Getting rid of any unwanted Medical Air

The cylinder will be returned to Coregas.

Do not keep the cylinder after its expiry date.

There are no known side effects of Medical Air, however during treatment, where there may be other gases given to you with Medical Air, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects.

Tell the person treating you if you feel unwell in any way.

Reporting side effects

After you have received medical advice for any side effects you may have had, you can report these side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems.

By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

This medicine is normally supplied for use in hospitals, dental surgeries or in emergency situations.

What Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air contains

What Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air looks like

Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air has no smell or colour.

The cylinders have a white body with black and white quadrants on the shoulder. They are made of either steel or aluminium and sealed with a Pin Index valve outlet.

They may be available in the following pack sizes:

* 6 Pack (bundles) of 6x50 l cylinders
** 12 Pack (bundles) of 12x50 l cylinders

(Not all pack sizes or presentations may be available)

Who distributes Coregas Pty Ltd Medical Air?

Coregas Pty Ltd
66 Loftus Road
Yennora NSW 2161
Australia

Email: Customer.services@coregas.com
Phone:1800807203
Website: www.coregas.com.au/healthcare

Aust R 27160.

This leaflet was revised in April 2023.

Instructions for use/handling

• Care is needed in the handling and use of Medical Air gas cylinders
• When Medical Air is intended for use in a room in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being performed, all steel medical air cylinders and associated equipment must be considered to potentially contain ferromagnetic materials. Steel cylinders do contain a substantial quantity of ferromagnetic material and MUST NOT be used in proximity to MRIs under any circumstances.
• Electrical equipment capable of sparking or generating extreme heat should not be used in the vicinity of patients receiving oxygen (including that contained in Medical Air).
• Air is a comburent gas, which can form flammable and explosive mixtures with combustible gases.
• Use with suitable pressure reducing regulator.
• Where moisturising preparations are required for use with a facemask or in nasal passages etc., avoid using oil-based creams. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer to ensure that the product of choice is suitable for use with medicinal air.
• Medical gases must only be used for medicinal purposes
• Under no circumstances should oils or grease be used to lubricate any part of the medicinal air cylinder or the associated equipment used to deliver the gas to the patient. Always ensure hands are clean and free from any oils or grease.
• Refer to the respective S.D.S and the “caution” section of the product label.
• Refer to manufacturer for cleaning guidelines.
• All regulations concerning handling of pressure vessels must be followed.
• Cylinders should be handled with care. They must not be allowed to fall or subjected to violent impact. If, after an accidental collision, a cylinder exhibits local deformation or a notch, even shallow, it should be considered as hazardous and removed from use. It must be returned to the supplier with notification of the damage.
• Cylinders should only be moved with the appropriate size and type of cylinder trolley (pallet jack).
• When in use cylinders should be firmly secured to suitable restraining equipment.
• Cylinders containing liquefiable gas must always be used, transported and stored in vertical position.
• Smoking and naked lights must not be allowed within the vicinity of cylinders or pipeline outlets.
• After use cylinder valves should be closed using moderate force only and the pressure in the regulator, manifold, etc released.
• Immediately return used cylinders to the used cylinder store for return to Coregas.

Preparation for use with Pin Index Valves

• Ensure that the connecting face on the yoke, manifold or regulator is clean and the sealing washer or ‘O’ ring where fitted is in good condition.
• Cylinder valves must be opened slowly.
• Only the appropriate regulator should be used for the particular gas concerned.
• Never use excessive force when connecting equipment to cylinders.

Leaks

• Should gas leaks occur, this will usually be evident by a hissing noise.
• Leaks can be found by spraying the suspected area (cylinder inlet and / or valve spindle) with an approved gas leak test solution.
• There are no user serviceable parts associated with the valves fitted, so do not attempt to correct any problems with leakage from any part of the valve itself. Quarantine leaking gas cylinders (in a well-ventilated area), apply a warning sticker and, when empty, return them to Coregas for serving / repair.
• Sealing or jointing compounds must never be used to cure a leak.

Storing of cylinders

Medical Air cylinders should be kept out of the reach of children.

Air supports combustion.

The normal precautions required in the storage of medical gas cylinders as described below are applicable.

• Cylinders should be stored under cover, preferably inside, kept dry and clean and not subjected to extremes of heat or cold.
• Cylinders should not be stored near stocks of combustible materials or exposed to artificial sources of heat.
• Warning notices prohibiting smoking and naked lights must be posted clearly.
• Emergency services should be advised of the location of the cylinder store.
• Medical cylinders should be segregated by medical gas type and identified as such within the store.
• Full and empty cylinders should be stored separately. Full cylinders should be used on a “first in / first out” basis.
• Cylinders must not be re-painted. Cylinder markings must not be obscured. Product labels must not be removed. Foreign objects and attachments must not be affixed when returning cylinders. All gas cylinders should be stored vertically. C size cylinders are traditionally as well stored horizontally.
• Precautions should be taken to protect cylinders from theft and / or interference.
• Gas cylinders must be stored in storage area specially provided for the purpose. The storage area must be ventilated.
• If they are placed along a personnel passageway, they must be prevented from falling by means of chains.
• Whether empty or full, all cylinders in the storage area must be equipped with their valve protection caps and valve closed.

This leaflet was revised in April 2023