Document ID: PHMSA-2011-0122-0001
Agency: phmsa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Safety Advisories: Unauthorized Marking of Compressed Gas Cylinders
Posted Date: 2011-06-07T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 33023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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: 
yvonnechan2001@yahoo.com.

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