[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 33023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13952]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2011-0122, Notice No. 11-4]
Safety Advisory; Unauthorized Marking of Compressed Gas Cylinders
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.
ACTION: Safety Advisory Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that PHMSA has recently
confirmed an undetermined number of certain (aluminum) cylinders were
improperly marked and represented as DOT specification 3AL cylinders.
The cylinders were neither marked nor certified by an authorized
independent inspection agency (IIA) with its official mark and date, in
accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements. Therefore, the
cylinders are unauthorized for hazardous materials service. Prior to
filling these cylinders, a person must verify that the IIA's official
mark is stamped between the month and year manufactured. The evidence
suggests that if the cylinder is marked with a period (.) rather than
the official IIA mark, the cylinder did not undergo the complete series
of safety tests and inspections required by the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR) and may not possess the structural integrity to
safely contain its contents under pressure during normal transportation
and use. Extensive property damage, serious personal injury, or death
could result from a rupture of the cylinder. Individuals who identify a
cylinder marked with only a period (.) between the month and year are
advised to remove these cylinders from service and contact PHMSA
directly at the below address for further instructions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Yuying Chen, U.S. Agent for
Shanghai Qingpu Fire Fighting Equipment Company, Ltd., 1005 Mirror
Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, Telephone (412) 235-7880, E-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An undetermined number of the cylinders
(typically used for home kegerators), were manufactured between 2009
through 2011 and improperly marked with the manufacturer's symbol
``M0306.'' The cylinders have been stamped with a period (.) between
the month and year of manufacture, i.e., ``8.10.'' PHMSA issued the
manufacturing symbol ``M0306'' to Shanghai Qingpu Fire Fighting
Equipment Company, Ltd. (Qingpu), located in Shanghai, China. Arrowhead
Industrial Services, Inc. (Arrowhead), as Qingpu's authorized
independent inspection agency, would have marked the cylinders that
passed inspection with its official mark (the letter ``A'' inside of an
arrowhead) between the month and year of manufacture.
Prior to filling these cylinders, a person must verify that
Arrowhead's official mark is stamped between the month and year
manufactured. Arrowhead does not use a period (.) between the month and
year of manufacturing as part of its official mark.
If the cylinder is identified as marked with a period (.) between
the month and year, in lieu of the authorized Arrowhead mark, the
person in possession of the cylinder is advised to remove that cylinder
from service and contact Qingpu's U.S. Agent at the address in this
notice.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 1, 2011.
Magdy El-Sibaie,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 2011-13952 Filed 6-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P