[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR178.35]



[Page 808-809]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 178_SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKAGINGS--Table of Contents

 

                 Subpart C_Specifications for Cylinders

 

Sec. 178.35  General requirements for specification cylinders.





    (a) Compliance. Compliance with the requirements of this subpart is 

required in all details.

    (b) Inspections and analyses. Chemical analyses and tests required 

by this subchapter must be made within the United States, unless 

otherwise approved in writing by the Associate Administrator, in 

accordance with subpart I of part 107 of this chapter. Inspections and 

verification must be performed by--

    (1) An independent inspection agency approved in writing by the 

Associate Administrator, in accordance with subpart I of part 107 of 

this chapter; or

    (2) For DOT Specifications 3B, 3BN, 3E, 4B, 4BA, 4D (water capacity 

less than 1,100 cubic inches), 4B240ET, 4AA480, 4L, 8, 8AL, 4BW, 39 

(marked service pressure 900 p.s.i.g. or lower) and 4E manufactured in 

the United States, a competent inspector of the manufacturer.

    (c) Duties of inspector. The inspector shall determine that each 

cylinder made is in conformance with the applicable specification. 

Except as otherwise specified in the applicable specification, the 

inspector shall perform the following:

    (1) Inspect all material and reject any not meeting applicable 

requirements. For cylinders made by the billet-piercing process, billets 

must be inspected and shown to be free from pipe, cracks, excessive 

segregation and other injurious defects after parting or, when 

applicable, after nick and cold break.

    (2) Verify the material of construction meets the requirements of 

the applicable specification by--

    (i) Making a chemical analysis of each heat of material;

    (ii) Obtaining a certified chemical analysis from the material 

manufacturer for each heat of material (a ladle analysis is acceptable); 

or

    (iii) If an analysis is not provided for each heat of material by 

the material manufacturer, by making a check analysis of a sample from 

each coil, sheet, or tube.

    (3) Verify compliance of cylinders with the applicable specification 

by--

    (i) Verifying identification of material is proper;

    (ii) Inspecting the inside of the cylinder before closing in ends;

    (iii) Verifying that the heat treatment is proper;

    (iv) Obtaining samples for all tests and check chemical analyses 

(Note: Recommended locations for test specimens taken from welded 

cylinders are depicted in Figures 1 through 5 in Appendix C to this 

subpart for the specific construction design.);

    (v) Witnessing all tests;

    (vi) Verify threads by gauge;

    (vii) Reporting volumetric capacity and tare weight (see report 

form) and minimum thickness of wall noted; and

    (viii) Verifying that each cylinder is marked in accordance with the 

applicable specification.

    (4) Furnish complete test reports required by this subpart to the 

maker of the cylinder and, upon request, to the purchaser. The test 

report must be retained by the inspector for fifteen years from the 

original test date of the cylinder.

    (d) Defects and attachments. Cylinders must conform to the 

following:

    (1) A cylinder may not be constructed of material with seams, cracks 

or laminations, or other injurious defects.

    (2) Metal attachments to cylinders must have rounded or chamfered 

corners or must be protected in such a manner as to prevent the 

likelihood of causing puncture or damage to other hazardous materials 

packages. This requirement applies to anything temporarily or 

permanently attached to the cylinder, such as metal skids.

    (e) Safety devices. Pressure relief devices and protection for 

valves, safety devices, and other connections, if applied, must be as 

required or authorized by the appropriate specification, and as required 

in Sec. 173.301 of this subchapter.

    (f) Markings. Markings on a DOT Specification cylinder must conform 

to applicable requirements.

    (1) Each cylinder must be marked with the following information:



[[Page 809]]



    (i) The DOT specification marking must appear first, followed 

immediately by the service pressure. For example, DOT-3A1800.

    (ii) The serial number must be placed just below or immediately 

following the DOT specification marking.

    (iii) A symbol (letters) must be placed just below, immediately 

before or following the serial number. Other variations in sequence of 

markings are authorized only when necessitated by a lack of space. The 

symbol and numbers must be those of the manufacturer. The symbol must be 

registered with the Associate Administrator; duplications are not 

authorized.

    (iv) The inspector's official mark and date of test (such as 5-95 

for May 1995) must be placed near the serial number. This information 

must be placed so that dates of subsequent tests can be easily added. An 

example of the markings prescribed in this paragraph (f)(1) is as 

follows:



DOT-3A1800

1234

XY

AB 5-95



    Or;



DOT-3A1800-1234-XY

AB 5-95



Where:



DOT-3A = specification number

1800 = service pressure

1234 = serial number

XY = symbol of manufacturer

AB = inspector's mark

5-95 = date of test



    (2) Additional required marking must be applied to the cylinder as 

follows:

    (i) The word ``spun'' or ``plug'' must be placed near the DOT 

specification marking when an end closure in the finished cylinder has 

been welded by the spinning process, or effected by plugging.

    (ii) As prescribed in specification 3HT (Sec. 178.44) or 3T (Sec. 

178.45), if applicable.

    (3) Marking exceptions. A DOT 3E cylinder is not required to be 

marked with an inspector's mark or a serial number.

    (4) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable specification, the 

markings on each cylinder must be stamped plainly and permanently on the 

shoulder, top head, or neck.

    (5) The size of each marking must be at least 0.25 inch or as space 

permits.

    (6) Other markings are authorized provided they are made in low 

stress areas other than the side wall and are not of a size and depth 

that will create harmful stress concentrations. Such marks may not 

conflict with any DOT required markings.

    (g) Inspector's report. Each inspector shall prepare a report 

containing, at a minimum, the applicable information listed in CGA 

Pamphlet C-11 (IBR, see Sec. 171.7 of this subchapter) or, until 

October 1, 1997, in accordance with the applicable test report 

requirements of this subchapter in effect on September 30, 1996. Any 

additional information or markings that are required by the applicable 

specification must be shown on the test report. The signature of the 

inspector on the reports certifies that the processes of manufacture and 

heat treatment of cylinders were observed and found satisfactory.

    (h) Report retention. The manufacturer of the cylinders shall retain 

the reports required by this subpart for 15 years from the original test 

date of the cylinder.



[Amdt. 178-114, 61 FR 25942, May 23, 1996, as amended at 66 FR 45185, 

Aug. 28, 2001; 67 FR 51652, Aug. 8, 2002; 68 FR 75748, Dec. 31, 2003]