PSI/PCI Cylinders

Unauthorized Marking of Compressed Gas Cylinders

The following is a combination of 2 Safety Advisories published by PHMSA:

77 FR 1975
Jan 12, 2012
PHMSA-2011-0328 (Notice No. 11-15): Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Marking of
Compressed Gas Cylinders

SUMMARY: This is to notify the public that PHMSA has confirmed that Spears Fire &
Safety, 287 Jackson Plaza, Ann Arbor, MI improperly requalified and marked high
pressure compressed gas cylinders. During a recent investigation, PHMSA determined
that between November 2008 and October 2011, Spears Fire & Safety requalified and
marked with a Requalifier Identification Number (RIN) "B037" approximately 7,740 DOT
specification cylinders after its authority to requalify high pressure cylinders expired on
October 31, 2008. Additionally the investigation revealed that during this period, Spears
Fire & Safety (1) failed to condemn cylinders with a permanent expansion greater than
10% of total expansion, (2) on multiple occasions did not maintain the minimum test
pressure for the required time and (3) improperly repeated pressure tests on cylinders
required to be condemned. Cylinders that have not been properly requalified and
marked in accordance with the HMR may not be filled with compressed gas or other
hazardous materials.

DATES: n/a

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (1) Spears Fire & Safety, Mr. Robert Pate,
Manager, 287 Jackson Plaza, Ann Arbor, MI, Telephone (734) 633-4133. (2) For
PHMSA, Mr. Tim Buffum, Investigator, Central Region, Office Of Hazardous Materials
Safety, Field Operations, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,
United States Department of Transportation, 2300 East Devon Avenue Suite 478, Des
Plaines, IL 60018, Telephone (847) 294-8580, Fax (847) 294-8590

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PHMSA has recently confirmed that Spears Fire & Safety continued to requalify and
mark high pressure cylinders after their authority to requalify cylinders had expired.
Spears Fire & Safety’s authority to requalify cylinders expired on October 31, 2008 and
failed to seek renewal of its authority from the Associate Administrator. However,
Spears Fire & Safety continued to requalify cylinders for a period of time up to and
including October 14, 2011.

The investigation also revealed that Spears Fire & Safety
(1) failed to condemn cylinders with a permanent expansion greater than 10% of total
expansion
(2) on multiple occasions, did not maintain test pressure for the required time period,
and
(3) performed multiple repeat pressure tests on a cylinder with a permanent expansion
greater than 10% of total expansion.

Because Spears Fire & Safety improperly pressure tested and marked high pressure
cylinders that were required to be condemned, PHMSA questions the condition of all of
the cylinders requalified, marked and returned to service by Spears Fire & Safety
between November 2008 and October 2011 (approximately 7,740 cylinders). The
cylinders in question were marked with Spears Fire & Safety’s RIN ‘‘B037’’. The
markings appear in the following pattern:
M B0 Y
37
Where B037 is Spears Fire & Safety’s RIN, M is the month of the retest (e.g. 10) and Y
is the year of the retest (e.g. 11). Anyone who identifies a cylinder marked with the RIN
‘‘B037’’ and a test date after October 2008, are advised to remove these cylinders from
service and contact Spears Fire & Safety, Ann Arbor, MI for further instructions.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

76 FR 71124
Nov 16, 2011
PHMSA-2011-0241 (Notice No. 11-10): Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Marking of
Compressed Gas Cylinders

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that PHMSA has recently confirmed the
marking and sale of certain high pressure DOT specification cylinders that were marked
with a requalification identification number (RIN) without performing a visual inspection
and hydrostatic test. An undetermined number of high pressure DOT specification
cylinders were improperly marked from approximately August 2007 to August 2011 and
marked with a RIN of B377. The evidence suggests that if a cylinder purchased from
Morgan Welding and Supply, Albion, Michigan is marked with a "B377" in which the
individual letter and numbers appear to be stamped individually, the mark may have
been improperly placed on the cylinder. The cylinder did not undergo the complete
series of safety tests and inspections required by the HMR and may not possess the
structural integrity to safely contain its contents under pressure during normal
transportation and use.

DATES: n/a

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morgan Welding and Supply, Mr. Daniel
Horosko, Owner or Mr. Matthew Stepps, Manager, 488 Finley Road, Albion, MI,
Telephone (517) 629-6566.

Editor's note:
B377 has never been assigned to Morgan Welding and Supply in Michigan.
Instead it belongs to Midwest Cylinder in Ohio.