Gases · CAS Database
Helium
Helium (CAS 7440-59-7) — Inert gas for welding and balloons. What OSHA's HazCom rules ask of it on a job site, and where its Safety Data Sheet comes from: your supplier.
Verified vs OSHA sources · October 5, 2026
CAS Registry Number CAS 7440-59-7 · also known as He
Overview
Inert gas for welding and balloons
OSHA Exposure Limits
OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) and secondary limit for Helium on a US construction site. Where a substance-specific 1926 standard applies, its codified limit is shown; otherwise the figure comes from Table 1 to 29 CFR 1926.55, the construction air-contaminants table. Where 1926.55 does not list the substance, OSHA sets no construction limit for it; Section 8 of the Safety Data Sheet lists the limits other bodies recommend and the supplier's controls.
| Limit | Value | Basis / citation |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA PEL | See SDS §8 | 29 CFR 1926.55 Table 1OSHA entry: Helium |
| Action level | See SDS / standard | Not all substances define an action level |
| Averaging period | See SDS §8 | Compare with ACGIH TLV / NIOSH REL — often more protective than the OSHA PEL |
Listed as a simple asphyxiant: the table sets no concentration limit, and the controlling factor is available oxygen, which must be at least 19.5%.
Many OSHA PELs date to 1971 and may be less protective than current ACGIH/NIOSH values; always check Section 8 of the manufacturer SDS for the limits it lists, which can be lower than the PEL, and for its control guidance. Not legal advice.
GHS Classification
Physical Properties
OSHA & HazCom Compliance Requirements
For construction work, Hazard Communication is governed by 29 CFR 1926.59 (adopts 29 CFR 1910.1200). Employers who use Helium must:
- •Maintain an accessible SDS for Helium (readily accessible during each work shift, 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8))
- •Label all containers with GHS-compliant labels (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1) shipped / 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6) workplace)
- •Include it in the workplace chemical inventory
- •Train employees on hazards before initial assignment
- •Retain employee exposure and medical records per 29 CFR 1910.1020 — 30-year retention applies to exposure/medical records, not to SDSs generically
HazCom (1910.1200 / construction 1926.59) covers labels, SDSs, and training only — it does not impose chemical storage segregation. Flammable & combustible liquid storage for construction is 29 CFR 1926.152; segregation of incompatibles is planned from SDS Sections 7 and 10. Not legal advice; state-plan states may have stricter rules.
Handling & Secondary-Container Labeling
When you transfer Helium into a workplace (secondary) container, OSHA gives two compliant options under 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6):
- •(f)(6)(i): full GHS label elements (as on the shipped container)
- •(f)(6)(ii): product identifier + words/pictures/symbols (or combination) that provide AT LEAST general information on the hazards and, with the other information immediately available under the HazCom program, the specific hazards
There is no volume/size cutoff for secondary containers — the ≤100 ml / ≤3 ml accommodations (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(12) (added by the HCS 2024 final rule)) apply only to the manufacturer's shipped container. A portable container filled for the immediate use of the worker who fills it needs no label (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8)).
GHS Hazard Classification under OSHA HCS
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard adopts the GHS (primarily GHS Revision 7 (HCS 2024)). It requires 8 hazard pictograms (Appendix C, Figure C.1). The Environment pictogram (GHS09) is not required by OSHA — Not in App C; outside OSHA jurisdiction; voluntary.
The 8 OSHA-required pictograms:
For flammable liquids, OSHA classifies by flash point and boiling point (App B.6.1 / 1910.106(a)):
- •Category 1: FP < 73.4°F AND BP <= 95°F
- •Category 2: FP < 73.4°F AND BP > 95°F
- •Category 3: FP >= 73.4°F AND <= 140°F
- •Category 4: FP > 140°F AND <= 199.4°F
The specific GHS classification of Helium comes from its Safety Data Sheet (Section 2). Use the live classification panel above and the manufacturer SDS to confirm pictograms and categories.
HCS 2024 Update Deadlines
Under the Hazard Communication Standard 2024 update (aligned primarily GHS Revision 7):
- •May 19, 2026 — manufacturers, importers, and distributors update substance labels & SDSs (1910.1200(j)(2)(i))
- •November 20, 2026 — employers update workplace labeling, the written program & training (1910.1200(j)(2)(ii))
During the interim, parts may comply with the 2012 HCS, the 2024 HCS, or both.
Quick Actions
Put Helium on your written inventory, print the workplace label your containers need, and keep your supplier’s sheet reachable on the jobsite.
The safety data sheet for your product comes from the supplier who sold it to you — no public registry can provide it. For the underlying chemistry, the public record is on PubChem.
Where this fits in your HazCom program
- SDS management — collecting the sheet, keeping it current, and making it readable during each work shift.
- GHS labels & workplace labeling — what has to appear on the shipped container, and what a secondary container needs instead.
Free Compliance Tools for Helium
Related Gases
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Helium (CAS 7440-59-7)?
Inert gas for welding and balloons
What are the OSHA HazCom requirements for Helium on a construction site?
For construction work, Hazard Communication is governed by 29 CFR 1926.59 (adopts 29 CFR 1910.1200). Where a product you use containing Helium is a hazardous chemical under the standard (its supplier's label and SDS say so), you must keep its Safety Data Sheet accessible, keep the supplier's label on shipped containers and label workplace containers under (f)(6), list it in the written program's chemical inventory, and train workers on its hazards at initial assignment. Exemptions apply, such as a consumer product used the way a consumer would use it (1910.1200(b)(6)(ix)).
What is the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for Helium?
The applicable exposure limit (OSHA PEL, and where stricter, the ACGIH TLV or NIOSH REL) for Helium is listed in Section 8 of its Safety Data Sheet. OSHA construction air-contaminant limits are in Table 1 to 29 CFR 1926.55; many OSHA PELs predate current science, so an SDS may cite a more protective ACGIH/NIOSH value.
When does the updated HCS 2024 labeling apply to Helium?
Under the Hazard Communication Standard 2024 update (aligned primarily GHS Revision 7), manufacturers, importers and distributors must comply by May 19, 2026 when Helium is sold as a substance, and by November 19, 2027 for mixtures that contain it. Employers must, as necessary, update alternative workplace labels, the written program and training for newly identified hazards by November 20, 2026 for substances and May 19, 2028 for mixtures (29 CFR 1910.1200(j)). During the interim, parties may comply with the 2012 HCS, the 2024 HCS, or both.
How do I label a secondary (workplace) container of Helium?
Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6) you have two options: (i) the label elements of (f)(1)(i) through (v): product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms and precautionary statements, with no supplier name or address needed, or (ii) the product identifier plus words, pictures, symbols, or a combination that provide at least general hazard information and that, with the other information immediately available to workers under the HazCom program, give the specific hazards. There is no volume/size cutoff for secondary containers. A portable container filled from a labeled container, kept under the control of the worker who fills it and used only by that worker within the same shift, does not require a label (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8)).
How long must SDS and exposure records for Helium be kept?
Under 29 CFR 1910.1020, 30-year retention applies to employee exposure and medical records (medical records: duration of employment plus 30 years) — not to SDSs generically. Where an SDS is not retained, a record of the chemical's identity, where it was used, and when must be kept for at least 30 years.
Where can I find the SDS for Helium?
Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(6) and (g)(7), the manufacturer, importer or distributor that sold you Helium must send its Safety Data Sheet with the first shipment, and again with the first shipment after the sheet is updated. HazComFast keeps the sheets you collect in one inventory per jobsite, searchable by product, manufacturer or CAS number, and your jobsite's SDS load onto the phone on their own.
Sources & Primary References
Regulatory data on this page is sourced from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (29 CFR 1926.59 / 1910.1200 and substance-specific 1926 standards), last verified October 5, 2026 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. Physical-property data comes from PubChem. Confirm it against the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
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