05/21/2026

You Asked... We Answered

You Asked: What is the limit on the number of oxygen tanks that may be kept in resident rooms? 

We Answered: NFPA 99 permits individual cylinders to be available for immediate use in patient care areas with an aggregate volume of ≤ 300 cubic feet. Cylinders must be handled and secured in accordance with NFPA 99 Section 11.6.2.  

A standard “E” oxygen cylinder contains approximately twenty-four (24) cubic feet of oxygen, meaning up to 12 “E” cylinders could be present within a smoke compartment for immediate use before additional storage requirements apply. 

Additional requirements include: 

• Cylinders must be secured in an approved holder and should not be freestanding in resident rooms or corridors. 
• Required signage must be posted anywhere oxygen cylinders are stored, including: “CAUTION: OXIDIZING GAS(ES) STORED WITHIN NO SMOKING.” 
• A resident room itself is not considered a smoke compartment. Facilities should identify smoke compartments based on smoke barrier walls, typically extending from cross-corridor smoke barrier to smoke barrier. 

Additional guidance and resources can be found on the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Life Safety Code Education Resources and Forms webpage and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Life Safety Code webpage.