[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 130 (Monday, July 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45183-45184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16999]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-2002-11270, Notice No. 02-6]


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 the Department of 
Transportation is investigating the unauthorized marking of high- and 
low-pressure compressed gas cylinders, primarily fire extinguishers and 
self-contained breathing apparatuses, by Tech Fire and Safety, Inc. 
(Tech Fire). Tech Fire is located at 514 4th Street, Watervliet, NY 
12189. In 2000, Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) 
conducted an investigation and evaluation of Tech Fire's DOT 
specification and exemption cylinder retesting procedures and 
determined that Tech Fire was not fit to conduct such retests. 
Consequently, RSPA terminated Tech Fire's approval to test DOT 
specification and exemption cylinders on October 2, 2001. RSPA 
subsequently received information that Tech Fire had continued to 
retest and mark DOT specification cylinders as properly tested in 
accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) after its 
approval to retest had been revoked.
    A hydrostatic retest and visual inspection, conducted as prescribed 
in the HMR, are used to verify the structural integrity of a cylinder. 
If the hydrostatic retest and visual inspection are not performed in 
accordance with the HMR, a cylinder with compromised structural 
integrity may be returned to service when it should be condemned. 
Extensive property damage, serious personal injury, or death could 
result from rupture of a cylinder. Cylinders not retested in accordance 
with the HMR may not be charged or filled with compressed gas or other 
hazardous material and offered for transportation in commerce. Only 
DOT-approved facilities are authorized to perform cylinder hydrostatic 
retesting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Michalski, Hazardous Materials 
Enforcement Specialist, Eastern Region, Office of Hazardous Materials 
Enforcement, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 306, W. 
Trenton, NJ 08034. Telephone: (609) 989-2256, Fax: (609) 989-2277.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through its previous investigations of Tech 
Fire, RSPA determined that Tech Fire demonstrated a history of non-
compliance with the HMR and of improper retesting of cylinders. Based 
on this non-compliance, RSPA terminated Tech Fire's approval to restest 
DOT specification and exemption cylinders on October 2, 2001. 
Subsequently, RSPA was notified that Tech Fire had continued to 
represent cylinders as being properly retested in accordance with the 
HMR after its approval to conduct such retests was no longer valid.
    The purpose of this safety advisory is to notify the public that 
Tech Fire is not authorized to retest DOT specification or exemption 
cylinders. Anyone who has a cylinder serviced by Tech Fire after 
October 2, 2001, should consider the cylinder unsafe and not fill it 
with a hazardous material unless the cylinder is first properly 
retested by a DOT-authorized retest facility.
    Cylinders described in this safety advisory that are filled with an 
atmospheric gas should be vented or otherwise safely discharged. 
Cylinders that are filled with a material other than an atmospheric gas 
should not be vented, but instead should be safely discharged. Upon 
discharge, the cylinders should be taken to a DOT-authorized cylinder 
retest facility for proper retest to determine compliance with the HMR 
and to ensure their suitability for continuing service. The inspector 
can provide a list of authorized retest facilities in your area, or you 
may obtain the list at the following Web site: http://hazmat.dot.gov. 
Under no circumstances should a cylinder described in this safety 
advisory be filled, refilled or used for its intended purpose until it 
is reinspected and

[[Page 45184]]

retested by a DOT-authorized retest facility.
    Tech Fire's Retester Identification Number (RIN) was B753. The 
cylinders in question are stamped or labeled with RIN B753 in the 
following pattern:

 
                                             B7
 
                                       M      Y
 
                                             35
 

    M is the month of retest (e.g., 10), and Y is the year of the 
retest (e.g., 01).
    RSPA requests that any person possessing a cylinder described in 
this safety advisory telephone or provide a facsimile to Inspector 
Michalski with the following information for each cylinder: (1) The 
cylinder manufacturer's name, (2) the serial number of the cylinder, 
(3) the DOT specification or exemption information for the cylinder, 
and (4) the month and year of the last marked retest by Tech Fire.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 2002.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-16999 Filed 7-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P