Which statement about oxygen safety is correct?

Which statement about oxygen safety is correct?

• A. Oxygen is non-flammable; safe near flames.
• B. Oxygen supports combustion; keep away from open flames and petroleum-based products near oxygen; do not smoke around oxygen.
• C. Oxygen should be stored near solvents.
• D. Oxygen can be ignited by static electricity; ignore safety.

Answer: (B)

Oxygen itself doesn’t burn, but it makes fires burn much more vigorously. In an environment with extra oxygen, ignition sources like open flames, sparks, or hot surfaces can start fires more easily, and flammable materials such as oils and petroleum-based products can ignite or burn rapidly. That’s why the best safety guidance is to keep oxygen away from open flames and from petroleum-based products, and to avoid smoking around oxygen. Storing oxygen near solvents is unsafe because solvents can vaporize and ignite in the same environment. Static electricity can also produce a spark that could ignite around concentrated oxygen, so safety rules should always be followed rather than ignored.

Oxygen itself doesn’t burn, but it makes fires burn much more vigorously. In an environment with extra oxygen, ignition sources like open flames, sparks, or hot surfaces can start fires more easily, and flammable materials such as oils and petroleum-based products can ignite or burn rapidly. That’s why the best safety guidance is to keep oxygen away from open flames and from petroleum-based products, and to avoid smoking around oxygen. Storing oxygen near solvents is unsafe because solvents can vaporize and ignite in the same environment. Static electricity can also produce a spark that could ignite around concentrated oxygen, so safety rules should always be followed rather than ignored.