LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY
For Airgas, Inc. Section 16(a) Filings

Know all men by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Gordon L. Keen, Jr., Dean A. Bertolino and Todd R.
Craun, and each or any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
to:

(1) prepare, execute and file with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission, any stock exchange and Airgas, Inc. (the
"Company") for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or director of the Company, Forms 3, 4 and
5 and amendments thereto in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder (the
"Exchange Act");

(2) obtain, for and on behalf of the undersigned, information from the
undersigned's brokers regarding transactions by the undersigned in the
Company's securities as may be necessary or desirable to prepare Forms
3, 4 and 5 on behalf of the undersigned; and

(3) perform any and all other acts which, in the discretion of such
attorney-in-fact, may be necessary or desirable in connection with
the foregoing authority, it being understood that the documents
executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant
to this Limited Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve
in his discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary or appropriate to be done in the exercise of any
of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Limited Power of
Attorney. The undersigned acknowledges that: (i) this Limited Power
of Attorney authorizes each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact to act
in his discretion in preparing Forms 3, 4 and 5 on information
provided to such attorney-in-fact without independent verification of
such information; (ii) the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in
such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor
is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities
under the Exchange Act, including to comply with Section 16 of the
Exchange Act; and (iii) neither the attorneys-in-fact nor the Company
is assuming any liability for the undersigned's responsibility to
comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act or any obligation or
liability of the undersigned for profit disgorgement under
Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act;

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect
to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued
by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Limited Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 21st day of February, 2003.

Signature
/s/ Frank B. Foster
___________________________

Print Name
Frank B. Foster
___________________________