Adults
Adults
We know that starting oxygen therapy can be a worrying time. We spoke to some of our oxygen users and Healthcare Professionals to gather advice that they hope will be useful to you.
If you have any more questions, please contact us using this form:
Or call our Healthcare Helpline on 0800 373 580.
You can find all this information and more in the Guide to the Home Oxygen Service booklet, that our Healthcare Technician will have left during the installation of oxygen. You can also find a copy of this booklet on the resources page here:
For basic safety advice, please visit our Safety page here:
Smoking/e-cigarettes
You must not smoke or use e-cigarettes whilst using or are near to oxygen, due to the risk of fire. Please inform your family and friends of the risk. Be aware of other people’s smoking habits when entering into public places or venues.
Hairdryers
Please do not use a hairdryer or hair appliances to dry your hair when oxygen is used. Please turn off your oxygen equipment and wait for 20 minutes before using heated appliances.
Face creams, shaving products and make-up
Please do not use make up, moisturisers, shaving products, lip balms, spot creams and suntan lotions whilst using oxygen, if they contain oil or petroleum in their ingredients.
Please do not apply hairsprays, nail varnish, perfumes/aftershaves and deodorants, whilst using oxygen, as they may contain ingredients that are flammable and could cause a fire. Oxygen can be restarted once any cosmetics have dried completely.
Relationships
Using oxygen should not stop you spending time with friends, family or a partner.
If you are going out, make sure the people you are with know what to do if you become unwell. It’s also a good idea to give them an emergency contact number.
Save our Healthcare Helpline number, 0800 373580, in your phone in case you need support.
Caution
When using oxygen, ask friends and family not to smoke or use candles, aromatherapy products, aerosol sprays or incense burners nearby. Oxygen increases the risk of fire.
Work
If you need to have a supply of oxygen when you’re at work, you can have your work address registered as a secondary address. This means you can have the same oxygen equipment supply at work as at home, so you don’t need to transport your oxygen equipment between the two locations. Our Healthcare Technician can complete a risk assessment at work to ensure the oxygen equipment is stored and supplied safely (if your employer requests this).
Using handheld tablets/mobile phones or laptops
Please do not plug in, turn on or off chargers, when using a tablet, mobile phone or laptop whilst using oxygen.
Family/friends to stay
It is okay for your family and friends to stay. Please ensure that they know the safety issues related to your home oxygen therapy equipment, including not smoking. If you have children staying with you, please ensure they do not touch or alter your home oxygen therapy equipment.
Remind your guests to be careful of your tubing to ensure they do not slip or trip.
Overnight trips
For day trips, please ensure that you have enough oxygen and that any oxygen equipment is transported in a safe, secure way.
Two weeks before a residential trip please call our Healthcare Helpline on 0800 373580 to arrange for the oxygen equipment to be delivered.
Travelling
If you use an electric wheelchair please ensure you remove your oxygen cylinders whilst your wheelchair is being charged.
If you are planning respite care or a holiday please call our Healthcare Helpline on 0800 373580 with the address, at least two weeks before you plan to go, and we can arrange for your oxygen supplies to be delivered where the stay is planned.
If you need a change to oxygen equipment to suit the needs of travel please contact your Healthcare Professional.
Oils, creams and ointments
Baywater Healthcare recommend avoiding the use of creams or emollients when you are using oxygen therapy.
If a cream or emollient is considered necessary, please speak with a Healthcare Professional.
