Home Oxygen Safety

Medical oxygen helps people with lung and heart conditions breathe easier. Oxygen does not burn by itself, but it makes anything that can burn catch fire faster and burn hotter. Home oxygen fires, often from smoking, cooking or candles, cause serious burns and deaths every year, so a few firm rules matter.

• Oxygen Users
• Family & Caregivers
• Home Health Workers

Keep fire away from oxygen

• No smoking by anyone, in the room or home where oxygen is used, and no smoking while wearing oxygen, even if the device is turned off. Ask visitors to smoke outside, away from you. Post “No Smoking / Oxygen in Use” signs at entrances.
• Keep oxygen equipment at least 5 feet away from gas stoves, candles, fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, matches, lighters and other heat sources (many manufacturers recommend even more, such as 10 feet, so check yours). Don't cook on a gas stove while wearing tubing.
• Avoid open flames and sparks: candles, incense, birthday candles, lit grills, fireworks and electrical items that spark, such as hair dryers and electric razors, near the oxygen.
• Use flameless candles and electric lights in homes with oxygen. See Home Fire Prevention.
• Know that static and flammable fabrics can contribute. Use cotton bedding and clothes instead of synthetic ones where recommended, and avoid wool blankets that build static.

Avoid petroleum products and oils

• Don't use petroleum jelly (Vaseline), oil-based lotions, hair oils or lip balms on or near your face, nose or hands where oxygen flows. They can ignite and burn. Use water-based lubricants and moisturizers labeled safe with oxygen, and ask your provider.
• Don't apply oil or grease to oxygen equipment, regulators or fittings, and keep hands clean of oil when handling them.
• Keep aerosol sprays, solvents, paint thinners and cleaning products away from the equipment. See Household Chemicals.

Cylinders and concentrators

• Secure cylinders upright in a stand, cart or rack so they can't fall. A damaged valve can turn a cylinder into a projectile. Don't carry by the valve.
• Store cylinders in a ventilated, cool area away from heat, direct sun and from electrical equipment, with the valve closed when not in use.
• Place concentrators in an open space with at least a few inches clear on all sides for airflow, away from curtains and walls, and keep filters clean as directed. Don't use extension cords or power strips with them.
• Liquid oxygen is extremely cold and can cause frostbite on contact. Use it only as taught, and store and transfer it as instructed.
• Keep backup oxygen for power outages (full cylinders), and tell the electric utility and supplier that you rely on medical equipment. See Power Outages & Generators.
• Have the supplier service and inspect equipment and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Never change settings on your own.

Tubing, trips and daily living

• Use enough tubing to move between rooms without it dragging or tangling, but arrange it so it isn't a tripping hazard. Tubing hooks or retractors help. Don't run it under rugs or furniture.
• Watch for trips and falls, especially on stairs, and when carrying items. See Fall Prevention at Home and Aging in Place Safely.
• Check skin around the nose and ears for dryness and sores, and replace cannulas and tubing as advised.
• Don't increase the flow without a doctor's approval, and don't stop using oxygen as prescribed.

Fire safety plan

• Install working smoke alarms on every level and in sleeping areas, and CO alarms. Keep an extinguisher and know how to use it. See Smoke & CO Alarms and Home Fire Extinguishers.
• Tell your fire department and utility that oxygen is used in the home, and plan two ways out. See Home Fire Escape.
• If a fire starts: turn off the oxygen if you can reach the supply safely, leave right away and take your portable oxygen if possible, close doors behind you and call 911 from outside. Don't go back in.
• Travel: in cars, secure cylinders so they won't roll, keep windows cracked, never smoke and don't leave cylinders in a hot car. For flying, check airline rules and approved portable concentrators. See Hot Cars.

Home oxygen checklist

• No one smokes in the home, and signs are posted
• Oxygen equipment is at least 5 feet (or more as advised) from heat and flames
• No petroleum jelly or oil-based products on the face or equipment
• Cylinders are secured upright and backup oxygen is ready for power outages
• Smoke alarms work, tubing isn't a trip hazard, and there's a fire escape plan

Last updated: October 5, 2026