Propane (LPG) COSHH sheet

Also called LPG, Calor propane, bottled gas.

Propane cylinders run site heaters, forklifts, roofing torches, catering equipment and patio heaters. The sheet's hazards are an extremely flammable gas under pressure, and cold burns from the liquid. LPG vapour is heavier than air, so it collects in low places.

Taken from the Liquefied Propane Gas (odorised) safety data sheet from Calor Gas Limited, revision February 2025. Open the data sheet. Formulas differ between products, so check against the sheet for the product you actually buy. Revision 13, dated February 2025, is the sheet Calor links today. An older revision 10 still circulates online. Page checked against the sheet on 14 November 2026.

Hazards on the data sheet

Signal word: Danger.

H220 extremely flammable gas
H280 contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated

Precautions

P102 Keep out of the reach of children
P210 Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
P243 Take precautions against static discharge
P377 Leaking gas fire: Do not extinguish, unless leak can be stopped safely.
P381 Eliminate all ignition sources if safe to do so.
P410 + P403 Protect from sunlight. Store in a well-ventilated place.

Workplace exposure limit

Long-term (8-hour): 1000 ppm or 1750 mg/m³. Short-term (15-minute): 1250 ppm or 2180 mg/m³. This is EH40/2005's entry for liquefied petroleum gas, which has the same CAS number as this product. EH40 has no separate propane entry.

PPE

Eyes	In filling operations: safety goggles or face shields to BS EN 166, 167 & 168.
Hands	Suitable gloves to prevent cold burns and frostbite (Neoprene or LPG resistant gauntlet gloves); impervious gloves in filling operations. No breakthrough time given.
Breathing	If significant exposure to vapour is anticipated, suitable approved respiratory equipment; filter AX (EN 14387). Respirators must not be used in oxygen-deficient atmospheres; use breathing apparatus.
Skin	Suitable overalls to prevent cold burns; protective clothing in filling operations; protective footwear to BS EN 345 when handling cylinders.

First aid

Eyes	Flush cold burns immediately with tepid water, holding eyelids apart. Cover the eye with a sterile dressing and obtain medical assistance immediately.
Skin	Flush burns with tepid water until temperature normalises and circulation returns. Cover with sterile dressings; no ointments or powders. Obtain medical assistance immediately.
Breathed in	Remove to fresh air; keep warm and at rest. If breathing has stopped, give artificial respiration (and cardiac massage if necessary). If unconscious but breathing, recovery position. Obtain medical assistance immediately.
Swallowed	Not applicable.

Storage, spills and what to keep it away from

Storage	Store only in purpose-designed cylinders or tanks of suitable pressure rating, segregated from oxidant gases and other oxidants, in well-ventilated areas away from heat and ignition sources. Vapour-offtake cylinders upright. Follow HSE / Liquid Gas UK codes of practice. Avoid storage above 50 °C.
Spills	Clear people to a safe place; summon emergency services; extinguish naked lights, avoid sparks, no mobile phones. If safe, stop the flow, isolate power to ignition sources, ventilate, cover drains, disperse vapour with water spray. Small spillages may evaporate with adequate ventilation.
Keep away from	Propane reacts violently with strong oxidising agents (e.g. chlorates which may be used in agriculture), peroxide, plastics, chlorine dioxide and concentrated nitric acid.

What your assessment still has to cover

Record where cylinders are stored and changed, whether any are used indoors or near drains, cellars or pits where vapour can collect, and who connects and disconnects them. Note the cold-burn risk when handling liquid and what gloves the sheet asks for.

Fill these in for your own workplace. HSE lists them as the points an assessment considers. For a full form, use the COSHH assessment template.

Workplace and location
Task and how the product is used
Who is exposed, including anyone more at risk
How often and for how long
Controls already in place
Further action needed, by whom and by when
Assessed by, and date
Review date

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