What is PSC GasGrab?
The PSC GasGrab is a patented manual handling tool engineered specifically for lifting and carrying heavy gas cylinders safely. Designed and manufactured by Arrow Castings (Arrow Ltd) in Newbury, UK — cast from 100% recycled solid aluminium — GasGrab transforms one of the most physically dangerous routine tasks in industrial and commercial life into a controlled, ergonomic operation.
In India, PSC GasGrab is exclusively available through Project Sales Corp (PSC), Visakhapatnam — the company that has been safeguarding the hands and bodies of Indian industrial workers since 2008.
The Origin Story — Invented by a Welder in Pain
How GasGrab was Born
GasGrab was conceived in 2000 by Lionel Foster, a welder and fabricator who was suffering from a complaint that caused great discomfort every time he had to move or change a gas cylinder. His attitude was simple: work must go on. So he invented a solution. What began as a fabricator's personal tool has since been modified, refined, and patented into the product used across industries in dozens of countries worldwide — now available across India through Project Sales Corp.
The Hidden Danger of Gas Cylinder Handling in India
Gas cylinders are one of the most common pieces of equipment across Indian industry — from the welding shop floor in Pune to offshore platforms in the Arabian Sea, from hospital wards in Chennai to restaurant kitchens in Delhi. And in the vast majority of workplaces, they are still moved the same way they always have been: the bear hug.
A full 230mm oxygen cylinder weighs approximately 99 kg. Bear-hugging that weight — arms wrapped around a smooth, cylindrical surface with no grip points — forces the handler into a forward-bent, arms-extended posture that concentrates enormous compressive and shear force on the lumbar spine. A single lift can cause acute disc herniation. Repeated lifts over months and years cause cumulative musculoskeletal damage that is often permanent.
❌ Bear Hug Method (Without GasGrab)
- Spine bent forward under 99kg load
- Arms extended — maximum lever on back
- No grip — cylinder can slip suddenly
- Feet risk crush from dropped cylinder
- Finger/hand pinch between cylinder and wall
- Cannot be done safely by one person alone
- Fatigue increases injury risk with each lift
✅ With PSC GasGrab
- Upright posture maintained throughout
- Load balanced close to body's centre
- Self-tightening grip — cannot slip
- Hands away from cylinder surface
- Two-person carry is practical and easy
- Reduced fatigue — ergonomic handle position
- Meets all manual handling safety standards
How GasGrab Works — The Patented Mechanism
The GasGrab's genius is in its self-energising scissor-grip mechanism. There are no latches to set, no levers to lock, no straps to tighten. The physics of the design do the work automatically.
Open & Position
Lower the GasGrab handles to open the jaws. Place the GasGrab around the body of the gas cylinder at approximately mid-height. The rubber-lined jaws rest lightly against the cylinder surface.
Lift — The Mechanism Self-Activates
Raise the handles to begin lifting. As the handles rise, the scissor mechanism closes the jaws around the cylinder. The heavier the cylinder, the greater the clamping force — this is the patented self-energising principle. The GasGrab cannot slip under load.
Carry in Natural Posture
Walk to the destination with the cylinder held close to the body, handles at a comfortable height. A second person can hold the other handle for team lifts on the heaviest cylinders.
Lower the Handles — Release
Once at the destination, lower the handles again. The jaws open automatically, releasing the cylinder. No manual unlatching required. The GasGrab is ready for the next lift.
Five Sizes — Choosing the Right PSC GasGrab
GasGrab is sized by the outer diameter of the gas cylinder. To determine your cylinder's diameter, measure its circumference at three points and divide the average by 3.14159. Match to the closest GasGrab size:
Technical Specifications
| Manufacturer | Arrow Castings Ltd (Arrow Ltd), Newbury, UK |
| Material | Solid die-cast aluminium (100% recycled) with rubber-lined jaws |
| Weight | Less than 2 kg |
| Coating | Warm-touch durable coating for operator comfort and grip |
| Grip mechanism | Patented self-energising scissor action — clamping force proportional to load |
| Testing | Tested at 3× safety margin — well in excess of full cylinder weight; supplied with test certificate |
| Available sizes | 215mm, 230mm, 235mm, 254mm, 267mm |
| Operating principle | Weight of cylinder determines clamping force — heavier load = stronger grip |
| Release | Automatic — lower handles to release grip |
| India distributor | Project Sales Corp, Visakhapatnam (+91-98851-49412) |
Complete Application Guide
GasGrab's application is simple and universal: any situation where a gas cylinder must be manually lifted or carried. The table below maps the major cylinder types used in Indian industry to their typical GasGrab size:
| Gas / Cylinder Type | Typical Use in India | Typical Diameter | GasGrab Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxygen (O₂) | Welding, cutting, medical, oxy-fuel processes | 230mm | GG230 |
| Acetylene (C₂H₂) | Gas welding, cutting, brazing | 235–254mm | GG235 / GG254 |
| Argon (Ar) | TIG/MIG welding shielding gas, laboratory | 230–254mm | GG230 / GG254 |
| CO₂ | MIG welding, beverage/hospitality, fire suppression | 215–230mm | GG215 / GG230 |
| Nitrogen (N₂) | Pipeline purging, petrochemical inerting, lab use | 230–267mm | GG230 / GG267 |
| Hydrogen (H₂) | Refineries, laboratories, fuel cells | 215–230mm | GG215 / GG230 |
| Medical Oxygen | Hospitals, clinics, ambulances | 215–230mm | GG215 / GG230 |
| Argon/CO₂ Mix | MIG welding shielding gas | 230mm | GG230 |
| Helium (He) | Balloons, laboratories, leak testing | 215–230mm | GG215 / GG230 |
| Compressed Air | SCBA refilling, testing, pneumatic supply | 230–254mm | GG230 / GG254 |
Two-Person Lifts for Heaviest Cylinders
For the heaviest cylinders — particularly full 230mm oxygen or nitrogen cylinders — GasGrab enables a comfortable two-person carry. Each person holds one handle of the GasGrab, distributing the load symmetrically and allowing both to maintain upright posture. This is far safer and more practical than the two-person bear-hug which forces both handlers into back-stressing postures simultaneously.
Cylinder Exchange Operations
In Indian manufacturing, welding, and process industries, cylinder exchange is a daily operation — depleted cylinders returned to the cage, fresh cylinders brought to the workstation. Without GasGrab, workers perform dozens of bear-hug lifts per shift. With GasGrab, each exchange becomes a single controlled movement with minimal spinal loading — transforming a cumulative injury hazard into a safe routine task.
Industries in India That Need PSC GasGrab
Welding & Fabrication
The highest-volume users of gas cylinders in India. Every fabrication shop, structural steel contractor, and pipeline construction crew handles multiple oxygen and acetylene cylinders daily.
Oil & Gas — Onshore & Offshore
Welding and cutting operations on wellheads, pipelines, and process facilities. Offshore platforms use nitrogen cylinders for inerting and pipeline purging — all require safe cylinder handling.
Refineries & Petrochemicals
Maintenance welding during turnarounds, nitrogen blanketing of vessels, hydrogen supply for hydrotreating units — all require frequent cylinder movement in congested process areas.
Hospitals & Healthcare
Medical oxygen cylinders must be moved to wards, ICUs, and OTs regularly. Healthcare staff — often without manual handling training — are at high risk without the correct lifting aid.
Shipbuilding & Marine
Extensive cutting and welding inside confined hull spaces and engine rooms — cylinders must be moved through tight access hatches and along narrow passageways where bear-hug lifts are impossible.
Construction & Infrastructure
Gas cylinders on construction sites are moved across uneven ground, up staircases, and onto scaffolding — all high-risk movements requiring a secure, controlled grip on the cylinder.
Hospitality & Beverages
CO₂ cylinders for carbonated beverages and draught beer systems are heavy and handled repeatedly in pub cellars, restaurant kitchens, and bottling plants — a common back injury source.
Laboratories & Research
Research labs handling argon, helium, hydrogen, and specialty gas cylinders — where staff are often scientists rather than trained manual handlers — benefit greatly from GasGrab's simplicity.
Defence Establishments
Military workshops, naval dockyards, ordnance factories — all heavy users of welding and compressed gas who have comprehensive safety programmes and zero tolerance for preventable injury.
Railways & Heavy Engineering
Indian Railways workshops, locomotive depots, and heavy engineering units perform extensive gas cutting and welding — cylinder handling is a daily activity across hundreds of facilities nationwide.
Safety Standards & Regulatory Compliance in India
Using PSC GasGrab directly supports compliance with Indian and international occupational health & safety regulations governing manual handling:
What Industry Professionals Say
"We introduced GasGrab across our fabrication shops after a surge in back injury claims during a major shutdown. Within six months, lost time injuries from cylinder handling dropped to zero. It is now mandatory equipment for all our gas cylinder operations."
— HSE Manager, Heavy Engineering EPC Contractor, Gujarat
"Our welders were sceptical at first — they'd been moving cylinders the same way for 20 years. After one day with GasGrab, not a single one wanted to go back to the old method. The difference in physical effort alone is extraordinary."
— Workshop Supervisor, Shipyard, Visakhapatnam
"In our hospital, medical oxygen cylinders are moved by ward orderlies who receive no formal manual handling training. GasGrab has been a revelation — simple enough that anyone can use it correctly from the first attempt, and robust enough for a busy hospital environment."
— Facilities Manager, Private Hospital, Hyderabad
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PSC GasGrab and how does it work?
Who is the authorised PSC GasGrab distributor in India?
What sizes does GasGrab come in and how do I choose?
What types of gas cylinders can GasGrab handle?
Can one person safely use GasGrab for heavy cylinders?
Is GasGrab suitable for use on offshore oil & gas platforms?
How is GasGrab different from a cylinder trolley or crane lift?
Where can I buy PSC GasGrab in India?
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