How safe is hydrogen?
Hydrogen is non-toxic and is as safe as other fuels being widely used today such as gasoline and natural gas. In fact, some of hydrogen’s properties actually provide safety benefits compared to other fuels, for example it dissipates very quickly and is much less likely to explode in open air because of its high buoyancy and diffusivity. This contrasts sharply with much heavier gases such as natural gas and gasoline vapour which carry a greater danger of explosion because they hover close to the ground and do not disperse quickly enough. However, all flammable fuels must be handled responsibly. Like petrol and natural gas, hydrogen is flammable and can behave dangerously under specific conditions. Hydrogen can be handled safely when guidelines are observed and the user has an understanding of its behaviour. Over 50 million tons of hydrogen are produced every year and hydrogen’s safety record is excellent.