[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR173.40]

[Page 472-473]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 
                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 173_SHIPPERS_GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS--
Table of Contents
 
     Subpart B_Preparation of Hazardous Materials for Transportation
 
Sec.  173.40  General packaging requirements for toxic materials 
packaged in cylinders.

    When this section is referenced for a Hazard Zone A or B hazardous 
material elsewhere in this subchapter, the requirements in this section 
are applicable to cylinders used for that material.
    (a) Authorized cylinders. (1) A cylinder must conform to a DOT 
specification or a UN standard prescribed in subpart C of part 178 of 
this subchapter, except that acetylene cylinders and non-refillable 
cylinders are not authorized. The use of UN tubes and MEGCs is 
prohibited for Hazard Zone A materials.
    (2) The use of a specification 3AL cylinder made of aluminum alloy 
6351-T6 is prohibited for a Division 2.3 Hazard Zone A material or a 
Division 6.1 Hazard Zone A material.
    (3) A UN composite cylinder certified to ISO-11119-3 is not 
authorized for a Division 2.3 Hazard Zone A or B material.
    (4) For UN seamless cylinders used for Hazard Zone A materials, the 
maximum water capacity is 85 L.
    (b) Outage and pressure requirements. For DOT specification 
cylinders, the pressure at 55 [deg]C (131 [deg]F) of Hazard

[[Page 473]]

Zone A and Hazard Zone B materials may not exceed the service pressure 
of the cylinder. Sufficient outage must be provided so that the cylinder 
will not be liquid full at 55 [deg]C (131 [deg]F).
    (c) Closures. Each cylinder containing a Hazard Zone A material must 
be closed with a plug or valve conforming to the following:
    (1) Each plug or valve must have a taper-threaded connection 
directly to the cylinder and be capable of withstanding the test 
pressure of the cylinder without damage or leakage.
    (2) Each valve must be of the packless type with non-perforated 
diaphragm, except that, for corrosive materials, a valve may be of the 
packed type with an assembly made gas-tight by means of a seal cap with 
gasketed joint attached to the valve body or the cylinder to prevent 
loss of material through or past the packing.
    (3) Each valve outlet must be sealed by a threaded cap or threaded 
solid plug and inert gasketing material.
    (4) The materials of construction for the cylinder, valves, plugs, 
outlet caps, luting, and gaskets must be compatible with each other and 
with the lading.
    (d) Additional handling protection. Each cylinder or cylinder 
overpack combination offered for transportation containing a Division 
2.3 or 6.1 Hazard Zone A or B material must conform to the valve damage 
protection performance requirements of this section. In addition to the 
requirements of this section, overpacks must conform to the overpack 
provisions of Sec.  173.25.
    (1) DOT specification cylinders must conform to the following:
    (i) Each cylinder with a wall thickness at any point of less than 
2.03 mm (0.08 inch) and each cylinder that does not have fitted valve 
protection must be overpacked in a box. The box must conform to overpack 
provisions in Sec.  173.25. Box and valve protection must be of 
sufficient strength to protect all parts of the cylinder and valve, if 
any, from deformation and breakage resulting from a drop of 2.0 m (7 ft) 
or more onto a non-yielding surface, such as concrete or steel, 
impacting at an orientation most likely to cause damage. 
``Deformation''means a cylinder or valve that is bent, distorted, 
mangled, misshapen, twisted, warped, or in a similar condition.
    (ii) Each cylinder with a valve must be equipped with a protective 
metal cap, other valve protection device, or an overpack which is 
sufficient to protect the valve from breakage or leakage resulting from 
a drop of 2.0 m (7 ft) onto a non-yielding surface, such as concrete or 
steel. Impact must be at an orientation most likely to cause damage.
    (2) Each UN cylinder containing a Hazard Zone A or Hazard Zone B 
material must have a minimum test pressure in accordance with P200 of 
the UN Recommendations (IBR, see Sec.  171.7 of this subchapter). For 
Hazard Zone A gases, the cylinder must have a minimum wall thickness of 
3.5 mm if made of aluminum alloy or 2 mm if made of steel or, 
alternatively, cylinders may be packed in a rigid outer packaging that 
meets the Packing Group I performance level when tested as prepared for 
transport, and that is designed and constructed to protect the cylinder 
and valve from puncture or damage that may result in release of the gas.
    (e) Interconnection. Cylinders may not be manifolded or connected. 
This provision does not apply to MEGCs containing Hazard Zone B 
materials in accordance with Sec.  173.312.

[67 FR 51642, Aug. 8, 2002, as amended at 67 FR 61289, Sept. 30, 2002; 
68 FR 24660, May 8, 2003; 71 FR 33880, June 12, 2006]