The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services the Hon. Stephen Jones MP has introduced a new mandatory safety standard for non-refillable helium cylinders.
The new safety standard seeks to reduce harm from deliberate misuse.
The Consumer Goods (Non-refillable Helium Cylinders) Safety Standard comes into effect on 16 April 2023.
What the industry needs to know
1. Gas composition requirements
The oxygen composition of the gas within the non-refillable helium cylinder must be 21% +/- 1% of the total gas composition by volume (i.e., 21% oxygen, 79% helium).
2. Marking requirements
The following must be clearly marked on the non-refillable helium cylinder and on the packaging:
- the composition of the gas within the cylinder expressed as percentages of the total gas composition by volume;
- the following statement (or words to that effect): WARNING: Do not inhale. May cause suffocation.
The markings must be in English, clearly legible, clearly visible, and indelible.
Next steps
The NRA has been advised that further information will be available on the Product Safety Australia website once the standard comes into effect.
The industry has 3-months to comply. We urge businesses to start reviewing their product lines and ensure your suppliers and manufacturers are responding to these changes as soon as possible.