[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 31, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15394-15395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7798]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-99-5143 (Notice No. 99-3)]


Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Marking of Compressed Gas Cylinders

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Safety advisory notice.

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SUMMARY: This is to notify the public that RSPA is investigating the 
unauthorized marking of high-pressure compressed gas cylinders. During 
November and December of 1998, RSPA conducted inspections of AAA Fire & 
Safety Company, Inc. (AAA), 48 East Newberry Road, Bloomfield, CT. The 
results of the inspections indicate that between the latter part of 
1995 and August of 1998, AAA may have informed its customers that their 
cylinders had been hydrostatically retested by Aero All-Gas Company, 
Inc., Hartford, CT, when, in fact, the cylinders had not been retested 
by Aero All-Gas Company. There is no indication that Aero All-Gas 
Company had any involvement in the unauthorized marking of these 
compressed gas cylinders.
    Without conducting hydrostatic retests, cylinders that should have 
been condemned may be returned to service. Serious personal injury, 
death, and property damage could result from rupture of a cylinder. 
Cylinders that have not been retested in accordance with the Hazardous 
Materials Regulations (HMR) may not be charged or filled with a 
hazardous material (compressed gas).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Michalski, Hazardous Materials 
Enforcement Specialist, Eastern Region, telephone (609) 989-2256, fax 
(609) 989-2277, Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement, Research and 
Special Programs Administration, US Department of Transportation, 820 
Bear Tavern Rd, Suite 306, West Trenton, NJ 08628.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During November and December 1998, RSPA 
inspectors conducted inspections pertaining to the cylinder testing 
operations of AAA Fire & Safety Co., Inc. (AAA), 48 East Newberry Road, 
Bloomfield, CT. The results of the inspections indicate that between 
the latter part of 1995 and August of 1998, AAA may have informed its 
customers that a number of high pressure compressed gas cylinders, 
primarily fire extinguishers, had been hydrostatically

[[Page 15395]]

retested by Aero All-Gas Company, Inc., Hartford, CT. The inspectors 
obtained evidence from several of AAA's customers that indicates that 
AAA supplied its customers with cylinders marked as having been 
properly retested, in accordance with the HMR, by Aero All-Gas Company. 
An inspection conducted at Aero All-Gas Company revealed that the 
cylinders in question had not been retested by Aero All-Gas Company and 
that Aero All-Gas Company had not authorized these particular cylinders 
to be marked with its retester identification number (RIN). The 
cylinders in question were stamped with Aero All-Gas Company's (RIN) 
``A393''.
    The markings appear in the following pattern:

                                   A 3
                                 X    Y
                                   3 9
 

Where A393 is Aero All-Gas Company's RIN, X is the month of the retest 
(i.e. 11) and Y is the year of the retest (i.e. 98).
    Aero All-Gas Company is a DOT-approved cylinder retester, that 
conducts hydrostatic retesting. Most cylinders marked with Aero All-Gas 
Company's RIN have, in fact, been tested by Aero All-Gas Company. 
However, the results of the RSPA investigation appear to indicate that 
any cylinder that had been serviced by AAA and marked with Aero All-Gas 
Company's RIN between the latter part of 1995 and August of 1998 may 
not have been tested. RSPA inspectors have obtained a list of AAA's 
customers, and this safety notice will be mailed to everyone appearing 
on that list. Anyone concerned with a specific cylinder, marked as 
described above, can ask for a verification of Aero All-Gas Company's 
retest records by providing Mr. Michalski with the following 
information: cylinder serial number, DOT specification and the most 
recent retest markings (i.e. #389467, DOT-3AA1800, 10/98).
    Anyone who has a cylinder that is marked with RIN A393 and dated 
between late 1995 and August 1998, and that was serviced during that 
time by AAA, should determine from Mr. Michalski whether that specific 
cylinder appears on Aero All Gas Company's retest records. Any such 
cylinder that does not appear on Aero All-Gas Company's retest records 
should be considered unsafe and not charged with a hazardous material 
unless first properly retested by a DOT-authorized retest facility. 
Filled cylinders (if filled with an atmospheric gas) described in this 
safety advisory should be vented or otherwise safely discharged, and 
then taken to a DOT-authorized cylinder retest facility for proper 
retest, to determine compliance with the HMR.
    Under no circumstances should a cylinder described in this safety 
advisory, and verified as not appearing on Aero All-Gas Company's 
retest records, be filled, refilled or used for any purpose other than 
scrap, until it is reinspected and retested by a DOT-authorized retest 
facility.

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 25, 1999.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-7798 Filed 3-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P