Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 172 / Thursday, September 6, 2007 / Notices 51297 

urbanized area over 200,000 in 

population (large urbanized area) and 

two or more urbanized areas under 

200,000 in population (small urbanized 

areas) to separately allocate their 

operations, operational expense, and 

fixed guideway data among each of the 

urbanized areas under 200,000 in 

population that it serves. Previously, the 

NTD only accounted for a transit agency 

servicing one large urbanized area and 

one small urbanized area. It did not 

account for a transit agency servicing 

one large urbanized area and two small 

urbanized areas. This change will 

address that oversight, and provide data 

that can be used for the apportionment 

of Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) 

Grants, as required by the Safe, 

Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 

Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for 

Users (SAFETEA–LU). 

Financial Module 

FTA proposes to require transit 

agencies to separate funds that were 

previously reported as ‘‘Other FTA 

Funds’’ into different categories for each 

FTA program. Previously, the NTD 

required FTA funds only to be reported 

as either Urbanized Area Formula 

Funds (section 5307), Capital Program 

Funds (section 5309), or as Other FTA 

Funds. The additional categories being 

proposed by FTA are: 

• FTA Metropolitan Planning (section 

5303); 

• Clean Fuels Program (section 5309); 

• Special Needs of Elderly 

Individuals and Individuals with 

Disabilities Formula Program (section 

5310); 

• Other Than Urbanized Area 

Formula Program (section 5311); 

• Jobs Access and Reverse Commute 

Formula Program (section 5316); 

• New Freedom Program (section 

5317); and 

• Alternative Transportation in Parks 

and Public Lands (section 5320). 

This requirement is designed to 

improve the NTD’s usefulness as a 

source of information for public 

transportation planning purposes by 

providing greater detail as to the sources 

of funds that are available to transit 

agencies. Additionally, this requirement 

is designed to support measurement of 

performance for the various FTA grantmaking programs. 

Declarations 

FTA proposes to create a standard 

form for submitting the Chief Executive 

Officer’s (CEO) certification. Previously, 

CEOs submitted a letter to the NTD as 

their certification. In prior report years, 

many transit agencies have submitted 

CEO certifications that did not conform 

to all of the requirements for 

certification. By creating a standard 

form, FTA seeks to ensure the 

uniformity of CEO certifications, and to 

simplify the CEO certification process 

for reporters. 

Sampling Requirement 

FTA proposes, beginning in 2008, to 

require all transit agencies to conduct a 

statistical sample of average trip lengths 

(used for calculating passenger miles 

traveled) every three years, unless they 

are a large transit agency that is already 

required to sample every year. 

Previously, FTA only required some 

agencies to sample every five years. FTA 

proposes to require transit agencies that 

previously sampled only once every five 

years to now sample every three years 

in order to ensure the accuracy of 

passenger mile data used in the 

apportionment of funds, particularly in 

regard to the Small Transit-Intensive 

Cities (STIC) apportionment. Further, by 

moving most transit agencies to a single 

cycle for mandatory sampling, FTA will 

reduce confusion in regards to sampling 

requirements. FTA notes that 2008 was 

already going to be a mandatory 

sampling year for all transit agencies on 

both the three year cycle and the five 

year cycle. 

Issued in Washington, DC, this 29th day of 

August 2007. 

James S. Simpson, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. E7–17564 Filed 9–5–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2007–29133; Notice 

No. 07–08] 

Safety Advisory Guidance: Use of 

Mobile Acetylene Trailers 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA). 

ACTION: Safety advisory notice; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: This safety advisory is 

addressed to persons involved in the 

use, operation, fabrication, or other 

handling of mobile acetylene trailers. In 

this notice, we discuss recent acetylene 

incidents, requirements in the 

Hazardous Materials Regulations, 

national consensus standards issued by 

the Compressed Gas Association and 

National Fire Protection Association, 

operating procedures, fire mitigation 

and detection systems, and training of 

persons who operate, charge, and 

discharge mobile acetylene trailer 

systems. We urge companies and 

workers to review their operating 

practices to ensure that filling and 

discharge operations are conducted in 

the safest possible manner. In addition, 

we are requesting information on the 

effectiveness of current DOT regulations 

and industry best practices, as well as 

suggestions for enhancing the safety of 

these operations. 

DATES: Submit comments by November 

5, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by the docket number 

(PHMSA–2007–29133) by any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. 

Follow the instructions for submitting 

comments on the DOT electronic docket 

site. 

• Fax: 1 202 493 2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, West 

Building, Ground Floor, Room W12–

140, Routing Symbol M–30, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 

20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Docket Operations, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

West Building, Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, Routing Symbol M–30, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

Instructions: You must include the 

agency name and docket number 

(PHMSA–2007–29133) for this notice at 

the beginning of your comment. Internet 

users may access comments received by 

the Department of Transportation at 

http://dms.dot.gov. Note that comments 

received may be posted without change 

to http://dms.dot.gov including any 

personal information provided. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben 

Supko, Office of Hazardous Materials 

Standards, Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration, (202) 

366–8553, or Charles Hochman, 

Director, Office of Hazardous Materials 

Technology, Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration, (202) 

355–4545. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Acetylene is a highly flammable gas 

that requires special packaging and 

handling procedures to be transported 

safely. Acetylene is regulated as a 

Division 2.1 flammable gas under the 

Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 

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51298 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 172 / Thursday, September 6, 2007 / Notices 

49 CFR parts 171–180) and is subject to 

stringent packaging and handling 

requirements. Acetylene is filled and 

transported in cylinders containing a 

porous mass and solvent; transportation 

in bulk containers is prohibited. 

In place of bulk packaging, mobile 

acetylene trailers (MATs) are used to 

transport large quantities of acetylene. 

The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) 

defines a MAT as a group of cylinders, 

secured together as a unit, mounted on 

an open transport vehicle, and 

manifolded for containing and 

transporting acetylene. 

On July 25, 2007, shortly after 9 am, 

at a Southwest Industrial Gases facility 

in Dallas, Texas, a MAT delivered by 

Western International Gas and Cylinders 

Inc. caught fire while the trailer was 

being prepared to discharge acetylene to 

the facility. The origin of the fire has not 

been identified. Witness reports state 

that a small fire began at the rear of the 

trailer and then spread to cylinders in 

the facility. The fire burned for more 

than an hour and ruptured a number of 

cylinders with explosive effects. Three 

people were injured. The fire caused the 

closure of local streets and Interstates 30 

and 35E for much of the day and 

destroyed four trailers at the Southwest 

Industrial Gases facility. Both the 

Chemical Safety Board (CSB) and 

National Transportation Safety Board 

(NTSB) are investigating the incident; 

PHMSA is assisting with the 

investigations. 

On August 7, 2007, just north of 

Houston, Texas, outside of the Hughes 

Christensen Co., a fire started on a MAT 

delivered by Western International Gas 

and Cylinders, Inc. None of the 

cylinders ruptured, and firefighters were 

able to douse the acetylene cylinders 

with water and keep the fire confined to 

the trailer. No one was hurt, but 800 

employees were evacuated. NTSB and 

CSB are also investigating this incident; 

PHMSA is participating in the 

investigations. 

II. PHMSA Regulations 

The HMR specify requirements for the 

safe transportation of hazardous 

materials in commerce by rail car, 

aircraft, vessel, and motor vehicle. The 

hazardous material regulatory system is 

a risk management system that is 

prevention-oriented and focused on 

identifying a safety or security hazard 

and reducing the probability of and 

consequence from a hazardous material 

release. Under the HMR, hazardous 

materials are categorized into hazard 

classes and packing groups based upon 

the risks they present during 

transportation. The HMR specify 

appropriate packaging and handling 

requirements for hazardous materials, 

and require a shipper to communicate 

the material’s hazards through use of 

shipping papers, package marking and 

labeling, and vehicle placarding. The 

HMR also require shippers to provide 

emergency response information 

applicable to the specific hazard or 

hazards of the material being 

transported. Finally, the HMR mandate 

training requirements for persons who 

prepare hazardous materials for 

shipment or who transport hazardous 

materials in commerce. The HMR also 

include operational requirements 

applicable to each mode of 

transportation. The HMR apply to each 

person who offers a hazardous material 

for transportation in commerce, causes 

a hazardous material to be transported 

in commerce, or transports a hazardous 

material in commerce (see 49 CFR 

171.1(b) and (c)). 

Under the HMR, acetylene is 

regulated as a Division 2.1 flammable 

gas. Acetylene is only authorized for 

transportation in DOT specification 8 or 

8AL cylinders or in UN cylinders 

conforming to ISO 3807–2 (see 49 CFR 

173.303). Transportation of acetylene in 

bulk packagings, such as cargo tanks, 

portable tanks, or rail tank cars is 

prohibited. Section 173.301(f) requires 

cylinders to be equipped with one or 

more pressure relief devices sized and 

selected as to type, location, and 

quantity, and tested in accordance with 

CGA S–1.1 and S–7. For acetylene, CGA 

S–1.1 requires DOT 8 or 8AL cylinders 

to be fitted with a CG–3 fusible plug, 

which operates at 212°F. The plug must 

be proven using the fire test method 

specified in CGA publication C–12. To 

ensure the stability of the acetylene 

during transportation, cylinders are 

constructed with porous filler and are 

charged with solvent. The porous filler 

is typically calcium silicate, and the 

solvent is typically acetone or 

dimethylformamide. The amount of 

solvent and porous filler must be closely 

monitored to prevent overfilling. 

Sections 178.59(l)(4)(i) and 

178.60(p)(4)(i) establish requirements 

regarding the amount and porosity of 

the porous filler and maximum amount 

of solvent authorized based on the water 

capacity of DOT 8 and 8AL cylinders. 

The HMR permit acetylene cylinders 

to be manifolded during transportation 

(see 49 CFR 173.301(g)(1)(iii)). However, 

the manifolded cylinders must conform 

to the following conditions: (1) 

Manifolded branch lines must be 

sufficiently flexible to prevent damage 

to the valves; (2) the cylinders must be 

supported and held together as a unit by 

structurally adequate means; (3) each 

cylinder must be equipped with an 

individual shutoff valve that is tightly 

closed in transit and an individual 

pressure relief device that discharges 

upward; and (4) the valves and pressure 

relief devices must be protected from 

damage by framing, a cabinet, or other 

method. 

The requirements for the 

transportation of hazardous materials by 

highway are found in Part 177 of the 

HMR, including requirements for 

loading and unloading hazardous 

materials from highway transport 

vehicles. When cylinders containing 

acetylene and other Class 2 gases are 

transported in commerce, they must be 

securely restrained in a manner that 

prevents shifting, overturning, or 

ejection from the motor vehicle under 

normal transportation conditions (see 49 

CFR 177.840(a)(1)). Normal 

transportation conditions include 

vehicle starting, stopping, cornering, 

accident avoidance, and varied road 

conditions. We request comments 

pertaining to the adequacy of current 

securement requirements for cylinders, 

including whether existing securement 

measures would withstand the force of 

an accident or rollover. Comments 

should consider the protection from 

damage afforded to manifolded 

cylinders by framing, cabinets, or other 

methods, as required by 

§ 173.301(g)(1)(iii)). 

Except for cargo tanks and portable 

tanks, the HMR generally prohibit the 

discharge or emptying of a package’s 

contents prior to its removal from the 

motor vehicle (see 49 CFR 177.834(h)). 

However, this general prohibition does 

not apply in all circumstances. For 

example, it has been our longstanding 

interpretation that the prohibition in 

§ 177.834(h) does not apply to tube 

trailers, which are 3AX, 3AAX, and 3T 

cylinders mounted to a transport 

vehicle, because removing them from 

the motor vehicle prior to discharging 

their contents is not practicable. We 

have long applied the same standard to 

discharge operations involving 

manifolded acetylene cylinders that are 

mounted to a transport vehicle. 

III. National Consensus Standards 

Several national consensus standards 

apply to the generation, storage, 

movement, and use of acetylene. The 

standards cover filling and discharge 

operations for acetylene cylinders and 

the transportation of such cylinders. 

Persons involved in these operations 

should thoroughly review these 

standards to ensure that they are 

utilizing appropriate safety practices. 

Below we list and summarize applicable 

national consensus standards. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 172 / Thursday, September 6, 2007 / Notices 51299 

A. CGA G–1, Acetylene 

This standard, developed by the 

Compressed Gas Association (CGA), 

provides general information on the 

characteristics of acetylene and proper 

handling procedures. The publication 

begins by describing the manufacturing 

process, composition, properties, and 

the physiological effects of acetylene. It 

continues by detailing the HMR 

requirements that apply to shipments of 

acetylene. It describes authorized 

packaging, valves, pressure relief 

devices, filling limits, and hazard 

communication. In addition, it outlines 

safe methods for storing acetylene 

cylinders at a fixed facility location and 

safe methods for handling and using 

acetylene. The standard concludes by 

discussing the type of piping that is 

suitable for acetylene. 

B. NFPA 51A—Standard for Acetylene 

Cylinder Charging Plants 

This standard, published by the 

National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA), establishes safeguards for the 

design, construction, and installation of 

acetylene cylinder charging plants. The 

standard applies to plants that are 

engaged in the generation and 

compression of acetylene and charging 

of cylinders with acetylene. The 

standard applies to the location, 

arrangement, construction, design, and 

development of facilities used in the 

generation of acetylene and also 

includes valuable information regarding 

the charging of manifolded cylinders. In 

fact, Chapter 10 of the NFPA 51A 

standard specifically addresses facilitybased acetylene cylinder charging 

manifolds. Though the standard does 

not provide specific transportationrelated information, the safety 

precautions recommended for facilitybased charging stations are very similar 

to those used to charge MATs, 

including: 

• Charging manifolds must have a 

shutoff and blowdown valve vented 

outside or to the low pressure system. 

• A check valve must be installed in 

the facility pipeline at each cylinder 

charging manifold and lead. 

• Pressure gauges must be protected 

by a device that stops a detonation of 

flame and limits a rise in pressure. 

• Manifold outlets must have a 

shutoff valve. 

• Manifolds must be arranged to limit 

stress in the cylinder charging leads. 

• In order to prevent liquefying of 

acetylene at low ambient temperatures, 

specific maximum charging pressures 

based on ambient air temperature must 

be followed. 

• Cylinder valves must be opened 

first at the start of charging and closed 

last at the end of charging. 

• Acetylene cylinders connected to 

charging manifolds must have 

provisions for cooling by water spray 

applied from a manually activated spray 

nozzle system where needed for 

removing heat from solution acetylene, 

as determined by ambient temperature 

and cylinder charging rate. 

C. CGA G–1.6, Recommended Practices 

for Mobile Acetylene Trailer Systems 

In this publication, CGA provides safe 

practices for the design, construction, 

and operation of MATs. The publication 

also provides recommended safe 

practices for auxiliary equipment used 

in conjunction with MATs, including 

piping, regulators, flash arrestors, and 

meters. The standard specifically 

addresses the following areas: 

1. Design and construction (CGA G–

1.6, Section 4) 

• Trailer must conform to all 

applicable Federal, state, and local 

regulations. 

• A grounding system for the piping 

that conforms to NFPA 70, National 

Electrical Code, must be provided to 

ground the piping system. 

• Piping must: be carbon steel, 

stainless steel, wrought iron, malleable 

iron, or copper alloys containing not 

more than 65% copper; conform to the 

American National Standard Institute 

A13.1, Scheme for Identification of 

Piping Systems; be braced and 

supported; and meet the appropriate 

Schedule based on pressure. 

• Leads between cylinders and 

manifolds must be sufficiently long and 

flexible to minimize strain on valves 

and leads. 

• Manifolds must be equipped with a 

shut-off valve, pressure gauge, and vent. 

• Vents and pressure relief devices 

must be directed upwards above the 

acetylene piping. 

• Protective equipment must be 

installed between a MAT and facility 

piping. 

• Cylinders must: conform to the 

HMR; be vertical, supported, and 

secured; have valves that are capable of 

being closed in the event of an 

emergency; have similar functional 

characteristics, including dimensions, 

porous mass, solvent, and solvent 

quantity; and be arranged in aisles to 

allow access. 

2. Operation (CGA G–1.6 Section 5) 

• To be charged, cylinders must 

conform to applicable HMR 

requirements. 

• Cylinders must be marked in 

accordance with CGA C–7, ‘‘Guide to 

the Preparation of Precautionary 

Labeling and Marking of Compressed 

Gas Containers.’’

• In order to prevent liquefying of 

acetylene, specific maximum charging 

pressures based on ambient air 

temperature must be followed. 

• During cylinder charging, valves are 

to be opened first and closed after the 

pressure between manifolded cylinders 

equalizes (takes several hours). 

• Valves must be closed during 

transportation. 

• Acetylene pressure must be 

maintained in leads and manifolds 

during delivery and return shipments. 

• Legible instructions must be posted 

at the discharge location when 

consumers use any equipment to 

discharge the acetylene. 

• The trailer must be chocked or 

secured to prevent movement during 

discharge. 

• During any manual valve 

operations, or when the trailer is being 

connected or disconnected, a trained 

person must be in attendance. 

• When acetylene is discharged in an 

enclosure, appropriate venting to the 

outside must be used. 

• The flow rate of acetylene for 

intermittent withdrawal from the trailer 

must not exceed 10% of the trailer 

capacity per hour, for continuous 

withdrawal the flow rate should not 

exceed 6.6% (1/15) of the trailer 

capacity per hour. 

3. Associated equipment (CGA G–1.6, 

Section 6) 

• The trailer discharge station must 

be in conformance with NFPA 50, 

‘‘Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems at 

Consumer Sites’’ and be a minimum 

distance of 50 feet from property lines, 

bulk flammable liquid storage, and nonacetylene bulk flammable gas storage. 

• The trailer must be a minimum 

distance of 25 feet from property lines, 

50 feet from combustible construction, 

and 15 feet from non-combustible 

construction. 

• The trailer site must: Provide 

adequate space for positioning the 

trailer and be protected with curbing or 

guardrails; be not exposed to power, 

flammable liquid, flammable gas, or 

oxidizing lines; be equipped with 

signage stating ‘‘ACETYLENE—

FLAMMABLE GAS’NO SMOKING—NO 

OPEN FLAMES’; and have a grounding 

system for the trailer. 

• Appropriate hoses, meters and 

electrical equipment must be used. 

4. General provisions (CGA G–1.6, 

Section 7) 

• MATs must be marked and 

placarded in accordance the Part 172, 

Subparts D and F of the HMR. 

• Charging and discharging stations 

for MATSs must be provided with 

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51300 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 172 / Thursday, September 6, 2007 / Notices 

conspicuously located and easily 

accessible fire hoses or fixed spray 

systems and dry chemical fire 

extinguishers. Nozzles on fire hoses 

should be of the type that adjusts from 

full stream to a fog pattern. 

• Exits and fire protection equipment 

may not be blocked or obstructed. 

IV. Recommended Practices 

The standards summarized above 

outline specific procedures for filling, 

discharging, and transporting acetylene 

cylinders and for storing and using 

acetylene. Based on our review of the 

recent incidents and the applicable 

national consensus standards, we 

recommend that entities involved in the 

transportation of acetylene, particularly 

the filling and discharge of manifolded 

cylinders mounted on a motor vehicle, 

implement safety procedures 

conforming to applicable sections of 

CGA G–1, ‘‘Acetylene (1990), NFPA 51A 

Standard for Acetylene Charging Plants’’

(2006 Edition), and CGA G–1.6, 

‘‘Recommended Practices for Mobile 

Acetylene Trailer Systems,’’ (1996, 

Fourth Edition, Reaffirmed 2001). In 

addition, entities must ensure that 

acetylene cylinders fully comply with 

all HMR requirements applicable to the 

specification cylinder, including 

cylinder components such as valves, 

pressure relief devices, porous filler, 

and solvent. 

The CSB Web site provides several 

examples of best practices to mitigate 

fires, including the use of fire monitors 

and water deluge and sprinkler systems. 

We strongly recommend that entities 

involved in the transportation of 

acetylene review the best practices 

highlighted by CSB and implement 

those that apply to their operations. In 

particular, facility operators should 

consider the installation of fire monitors 

and water deluge or sprinkler systems. 

In the event of a cylinder fire, the 

presence of such fire mitigation systems 

will help cool the cylinders, reducing 

the likelihood of additional gas releases, 

cylinder ruptures, and other potentially 

catastrophic consequences. For 

additional information, the CSB’s Web 

site provides best practices based on a 

Praxair Flammable Gas Cylinder Fire 

that occurred in St. Louis, MO on June 

24, 2005. A safety bulletin and video 

addressing the Praxair incident can be 

found at http://www.csb.gov/ 

index.cfm?folder=

completed_investigations&page=info

&INV_ID=59#. 

The acetylene accidents covered in 

this safety advisory notice occurred in 

conjunction with our assessment of the 

safety risks associated with bulk loading 

and unloading operations. On June 14, 

2007, we hosted a public workshop to 

examine industry data, identify industry 

best practices and standards, discuss the 

role of recommended practices, and 

consider industry actions that have the 

potential to reduce risk during loading 

and unloading. Representatives from 

industry, federal agencies, state and 

local government, standards 

organizations, the emergency response 

community, employee groups, 

environmental and public interest 

organizations, and the public 

participated in the meeting. As a result 

of this collaborative effort between 

PHMSA and our stakeholders, we 

developed a set of recommended 

practices that are generally applicable to 

loading and unloading operations 

involving hazardous materials in many 

different types of packagings and a 

number of different operational and 

modal contexts. Consistent with these 

recommended practices, we recommend 

that shippers and carriers of acetylene 

develop and implement specific 

procedures for loading and unloading 

operations that are based on an 

assessment of the safety risks associated 

with the type of loading or unloading 

operation being conducted and the 

material or materials involved. Please 

consider the following guidelines when 

developing operating procedures for 

acetylene: 

(1) Make sure employees know and 

understand their specific 

responsibilities during loading and 

unloading operations, including 

attendance or monitoring 

responsibilities. 

(2) Identify and implement 

appropriate safety precautions, 

including measures specific to the 

material transported, such as pressure or 

temperature controls and maximum 

filling limits; necessary protective 

equipment; controlling access to the 

area where the operations take place; 

procedures for connecting and 

disconnecting piping, hoses, and 

connections; ignition sources; and 

procedures for monitoring the loading 

and unloading operations. 

(3) Identify and implement 

appropriate pre-transfer procedures, 

including pre-transfer inspections of the 

transport unit, packaging, transfer area, 

and piping, hoses, or other connections 

are free of defects, leaks, or other 

problems that could result in an unsafe 

condition. 

(4) Identify and implement 

appropriate transfer procedures; 

(5) Identify and implement 

appropriate emergency procedures, 

including identification of emergency 

response equipment and individuals 

authorized in its use; incident response; 

use of emergency shut-down systems; 

and emergency communication and 

spill reporting. 

In addition, we remind entities that 

offer for transportation or transport 

acetylene cylinders that their employees 

must be trained. In accordance with the 

requirements in Subpart H of Part 172 

of the HMR, persons who directly affect 

hazardous materials transportation 

safety must complete training that 

covers the following: 

1. General awareness training 

designed to familiarize each employee 

with the requirements of the HMR and 

to enable each employee to recognize 

and identify hazardous materials. 

2. Function-specific training designed 

to ensure that each employee 

understands how he is to perform the 

functions or operations for which he is 

responsible. Training for employees 

responsible for loading or unloading 

operations should include training on 

established procedures applicable to 

such operations, as well as national 

consensus standards that have been 

incorporated into such procedures. 

3. Safety training concerning 

emergency response information 

applicable to the specific hazardous 

material(s) handled, measures to protect 

the employee from the hazards 

associated with the materials to which 

the employee may be exposed in the 

work place, and methods and 

procedures for avoiding incidents. 

4. Security training that provides an 

awareness of the security risks 

associated with hazardous materials 

transportation and methods to enhance 

transportation security. 

We believe that the procedures 

outlined above, including those 

contained in the CGA and NFPA 

standards, combined with a rigorous 

training program, will ensure that 

persons responsible for filling, 

operating, and discharging MATs have 

the knowledge and information to 

enable them to conduct these operations 

safely. We urge shippers and carriers 

engaged in these operations to evaluate 

their current operations, review the 

national consensus standards, and make 

adjustments in procedures and practices 

where necessary to minimize the safety 

risks associated with the transportation 

of acetylene on MATs. 

VI. Enhanced Safety Program for 

Mobile Acetylene Trailers 

We plan to work with acetylene 

shippers and carriers, emergency 

responders, associations such as CGA 

and NFPA, government agencies 

concerned with the safe handling and 

use of acetylene, and other stakeholders 

to assess the effectiveness of current 

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 172 / Thursday, September 6, 2007 / Notices 51301 

safety procedures used for filling, 

operating, and discharging MATs to 

determine whether additional safety 

procedures should be implemented. To 

this end, we request that persons who 

use such transportation systems to 

provide us with information on the 

effectiveness of the current DOT 

regulations, consensus standards, and 

industry best practices. We are also 

interested in any other procedures 

utilized to ensure that operations related 

to the transportation of acetylene on 

MATs are performed safely. 

We would also like to work with 

shippers, carriers, and facilities that 

receive shipments of acetylene in MATs 

to develop and implement a pilot 

program to test the effectiveness of 

current or alternative procedures or 

methods designed to enhance the safety 

of transportation operations involving 

acetylene on MATs. As part of this 

program, we will assist individual 

companies or facilities to evaluate the 

effectiveness of their current procedures 

and to identify additional measures that 

should be implemented. We welcome 

suggestions concerning how such a 

program should be structured and the 

entities that should participate. 

To ensure that our message reaches all 

stakeholders affected by these risks, we 

plan to communicate this advisory 

through our public affairs notification 

and outreach processes. For additional 

visibility, we have made this advisory 

available on the PHMSA homepage at 

http://www.phmsa.dot.gov and the DOT 

electronic docket site at http:// 

dms.dot.gov. In addition, if you are 

aware of other companies that are 

involved in the charging, operating, and 

discharging MATs, please share this 

advisory notice with them and, if 

possible, identify them in your 

correspondence with this agency. We 

believe a collaborative effort involving 

an integrated and cooperative approach 

will help us to address safety risks, 

reduce incidents, enhance safety, and 

protect the public. 

Issued in Washington, DC on August 30, 

2007. 

Theodore L. Willke, 

Associate Administrator for Hazardous 

Materials Safety. 

[FR Doc. 07–4355 Filed 9–5–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2004–19856] 

Pipeline Safety: Updated Notification 

of the Susceptibility to Premature 

Brittle-Like Cracking of Older Plastic 

Pipe 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA); DOT. 

ACTION: Notice; Issuance of Advisory 

Bulletin. 

SUMMARY: PHMSA is issuing this 

updated advisory bulletin to owners and 

operators of natural gas pipeline 

distribution systems concerning the 

susceptibility of older plastic pipe to 

premature brittle-like cracking. PHMSA 

previously issued three advisory 

bulletins on this subject: Two on March 

11, 1999 and one on November 26, 

2002. This advisory bulletin expands on 

the information provided in the three 

prior bulletins by listing two additional 

pipe materials with poor performance 

histories relative to brittle-like cracking 

and by updating pipeline owners and 

operators on the ongoing voluntary 

efforts to collect and analyze data on 

plastic pipe performance. Owners and 

operators of natural gas pipeline 

distribution systems are encouraged to 

review the three previous advisory 

bulletins in their entirety. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Richard Sanders at (405) 954–7214, or 

by e-mail at richard.sanders@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. National Transportation Safety Board 

(NTSB) Investigation 

On April 23, 1998, the National 

Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) 

issued its Special Investigation Report, 

Brittle-Like Cracking in Plastic Pipe for 

Gas Service, NTSB/SIR–98/01. The 

report described the results of the 

NTSB’s special investigation of 

polyethylene gas service pipe, which 

addressed three major safety issues: (1) 

Vulnerability of plastic piping to 

premature failures due to brittle-like 

cracking; (2) adequacy of available 

guidance relating to the installation and 

protection of plastic piping connections 

to steel mains; and, (3) effectiveness of 

performance monitoring of plastic 

pipeline systems to detect unacceptable 

performance in piping systems. 

(1) Vulnerability of plastic piping to 

premature failures due to brittle-like 

cracking: The NTSB found that failures 

in polyethylene pipe in actual service 

are frequently brittle-like, slit failures, 

not ductile failures. It concluded the 

number and similarity of plastic pipe 

accident and non-accident failures 

indicate past standards used to rate the 

long-term strength of plastic pipe may 

have overrated the strength and 

resistance to brittle-like cracking for 

much of the plastic pipe manufactured 

and used for gas service from the 1960s 

through the early 1980s. The NTSB also 

concluded any potential public safety 

hazards from these failures are likely to 

be limited to locations where stress 

intensification exists. The NTSB went 

on to state that more durable modern 

plastic piping materials and better 

strength testing have made the strength 

ratings of modern plastic piping more 

reliable. 

(2) Adequacy of available guidance 

relating to the installation and 

protection of plastic piping connections 

to steel mains: The NTSB concluded 

that gas pipeline operators had 

insufficient notification of the brittlelike failure potential for plastic pipe 

manufactured and used for gas service 

from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The 

NTSB also concluded this may not have 

allowed companies to implement 

adequate surveillance and replacement 

programs for older plastic piping. The 

NTSB explained the Gas Research 

Institute (GRI) developed a significant 

amount of data on older plastic pipe but 

the data was published in codified 

terms making it insufficient for use by 

pipeline system operators. The NTSB 

recommended that manufacturers of 

resin and pipe, industry trade groups 

and the Federal government do more to 

alert pipeline operators to the role 

played by stress intensification from 

external forces in the premature failure 

of plastic pipe due to brittle-like 

cracking. 

(3) Effectiveness of performance 

monitoring of plastic pipeline systems 

as a way of detecting unacceptable 

performance in piping systems: The 

NTSB’s analysis noted that Federal 

regulations require pipeline operators to 

have an ongoing program to monitor the 

performance of their pipeline systems. 

However, the NTSB investigation 

revealed some gas pipeline operators’

performance monitoring programs did 

not effectively collect and analyze data 

to determine the extent of possible 

hazards associated with plastic pipeline 

systems. The NTSB pointed out, ‘‘such 

a program must be adequate to detect 

trends as well as to identify localized 

problem areas, and it must be able to 

relate poor performance to specific 

factors such as plastic piping brands, 

dates of manufacture (or installation 

dates), and failure conditions.’’

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES