Recurring concern
Inadequate safety controls for helium canisters
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correctionFirst reported 20 Nov 2013•Latest report 20 Mar 2015
What this concern includes
Includes failures of controls specifically dedicated to the safety of helium canisters, including clear and sufficient safety information, restrictions on purchase quantities, control of canister volume and valves or equivalent features that limit gas release.
Not included
- Excludes generic product warnings or labelling failures where helium canisters are not the material product; those belong to the broader product-warning concern.
- Excludes general toxic-gas, chemical or substance-access concerns without a specific helium-canister context.
- Excludes routine storage, transport or disposal failures unless they directly concern the safety controls of helium canisters.
- Excludes clinical, mental-health or other downstream harms where no deficiency in helium-canister safety controls is identified.
- Reports
- 3
- Individual concerns
- 9
- Date range
- 2013–2015
- Stated actions
- 0
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
-
Concerns raised3
Large-volume helium canisters
Failure to attach modified control valves restricting helium gas release volume
Lack of controls on individual helium canister purchase quantities
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
Evidence that even small amounts of helium can cause death means controls on availability would be ineffective.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
-
Concerns raised3
Failure to fit helium canisters with a control valve restricting gas release
Sale of helium gas canisters containing a sizable volume of helium
Unrestricted sale of helium gas canisters to the general public
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
The earlier departmental response remains pertinent and is considered to fully address the concerns regarding helium gas and suicide.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
-
Concerns raised3
Failure to fit Helium canisters with modified control valves restricting gas release
Unrestricted sale of Helium canisters to the general public
Sale of Helium canisters containing a sizable volume of Helium
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026