Overview
SIST EN ISO 10286:2025 (ISO 10286:2025) is the sixth-edition vocabulary standard for gas cylinders and related pressure receptacles. It defines clear, harmonized terms and definitions used in the manufacture, testing, inspection, transport and use of gas cylinders, tubes, pressure drums, bundles and their fittings. Published as an EN ISO standard, it replaces the 2021/2022 edition and is to be adopted as a national standard by CEN members by February 2026.
Key topics and technical content
- Scope: Terminology for transportable pressure receptacles intended for holding substances under pressure, including closures and service equipment.
- Structured vocabulary: Clause 3 groups terms into categories:
- Terms related to pressure receptacles (e.g., pressure receptacle, cylinder, tube, pressure drum, bundle of cylinders, salvage pressure receptacle).
- Terms for accessories, manufacture, testing and inspection, characteristics/properties/pressures, and material.
- Quantitative thresholds (as defined in the standard):
- Cylinder: water capacity ≤ 150 L and test pressure × volume ≤ 1.5 million bar·litres.
- Tube: water capacity > 150 L and ≤ 3 000 L with the same test pressure × volume limit.
- Pressure drum: welded receptacle > 150 L and ≤ 1 000 L.
- Bundles: restricted to total water capacity and test pressure × volume limits; bundles for toxic gases limited to 1 000 L total water capacity.
- Annexes:
- Annex A - pressure system relationships for receptacles.
- Annex B - equivalent terms in French and German (useful for multilingual documentation).
- Annex C - figures illustrating additional terminology.
- Multilingual publication: Official text in English and French, with German provided for information.
Practical applications and users
This vocabulary standard is essential for:
- Cylinder manufacturers and designers - to ensure consistent terminology in specifications and drawings.
- Testing and inspection bodies - for unambiguous reporting and conformity assessment.
- Transport, logistics and safety professionals - aligning documentation with ADR/RID/ADN requirements and regulatory text.
- Standards writers, regulators and procurement teams - to harmonize contracts, standards and regulations.
- Technical translators and instructors - leveraging Annex B/C for accurate multilingual materials and training resources.
Related standards and governance
ISO 10286:2025 was prepared by ISO/TC 58 (Gas cylinders) in collaboration with CEN/TC 23 and is published as EN ISO 10286:2025. It complements other ISO and CEN standards on gas cylinders, transportable pressure receptacles and testing practices by providing the authoritative terminology used across those documents.
Keywords: Gas cylinders vocabulary, ISO 10286:2025, gas cylinder terminology, pressure receptacle definitions, cylinder testing and inspection, transportable pressure receptacles.