{"operation":"document","citation":"02-0130","title":"Argus Fire Control — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2003-07-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"02-0130 response to Argus Fire Control concerning 178.65.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0130.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0130.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0130","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020130.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nResearch and\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nspecial Programs\nAdministration\nJUL 15 2003\nMr. Bruce J. Euler\nRef. No. 02-0130\nDirector of Engineering\nArgus Fire Control\n2301 Distribution Street\nCharlotte, NC 28203\nDear Mr. Euler:\nThis is in response to your letter requesting clarification on whether a DOT specification 39 cylinder\nmay be used as a fire extinguisher under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR;49 CFR Parts\n171-180). I apologize for the delay in responding and hope it has not caused any inconvenience.\nIn your letter you describe a fire extinguishing system consisting of a DOT specification 39 cylinder with\na volumetric capacity of 1720 ml (104 cu in), an operating pressure of 150 psi, and a minimum burst\npressure of 1440 psi. This system is intended to be sold to end-users as a complete self-contained\npressurized system capable of being refilled and recharged by distributors. You further state that, after\nthe extinguishing system is discharged or emptied, it is returned to the distributor, refilled and\npressurized, transported back to the end-user, and reinstalled into the system.\nYour specific questions are parapharsed and answered below:\nQ1.\nYou asked if a DOT 39 cylinder may be used as a fire extinguisher under the HMR. You also\nasked whether the cylinder once installed into the fire extinguishing system would be considered\na nonspecification cylinder.\nAl.\nThe answer is no. Hazardous materials transported under the proper shipping name \"Fire\nextinguisher\" must be packaged in accordance with $173.309. Section 173.309(a) allows the\nuse of non-specification cylinders as fire extinguishers, if all criteria listed therein are met. If the\nrequirements of § 173.309(a) cannot be met, a DOT specification 3A, AA, 3Е, 3AL, 4B,\n4BA, 4B240ET, or 4BW (§§ 178.36, 178.37, 178.42, 178.46, 178.50, 178.51, 178.55, and\n178.61) cylinder must be used in accordance with § 173.309(b). In addition, although a\nspecification cylinder is installed into an extinguishing system, the cylinder is marked to indicate\nconformance with the specific requirements applicable to the packaging, and thus remains a\nspecification packaging.\n178.65\n020130\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n•\nQ2:\nYou ask if there are special requirements applicable to cylinders used as fire extinguishers?\nA2:\nMaterials transported under the proper shipping name \"Fire extinguisher\" must be packaged in\naccordance with §173.309.\nQ3.\nAfter initial shipment and installation can this cylinder be transported for refilling or recharging if\ndischarged?\nA3.\nThe answer is no. A DOT 39 specification cylinder charged with a hazardous material,\ntransported, and emptied, may not be refilled with a hazardous material and transported a\nsecond time (see § 178.65).\nQ4.\nDoes this system require requalification testing and inspection?\nA4.\nProvision 18 in § 172.102(c)(1) must be requailified. (see § 180.209()). Additionally, each\nUnder the HMR, each specification cylinder used as a fire extinguisher and meeting Special\nnonspecification cylinder used as a fire extinguisher must be in compliance with the retest\nrequirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations of the\nDepartment of Labor, 29 CFR 1910.157(e) (see § 173.309(3)(iv)).\nI trust this satifies your request. If you need additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact this office.\nSincerely,\nLisa\nSusan Gorsk\nBroky\nSenior Transportation Regulations Specialist\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nMAY. - 07' 02 (TUE) 12:59\n...\nFIRECONTROL CHLT NO\nTEL: 704-377-6131\nP. 001\n:\nARGUS\nWebb\nARGUS FIRE CONTROL\nFIRE CONTROL\n§|73.34\n2301 Distribution St.\n-\nCharlotte, NC 28203 USA\nTel. 704-372-1228\n5178,65\nFax 704-377-6131\nwww.argusfirecontrol.com\nFax\nCylinders\nemail: beuler@argusfirecontrol.com\n02-0130\nAttr:\nMr. Edward Mazzullo\nDirector, Office of HazMat Standards\nFrom:\nBruce J. Euler\nUS DOT/RSPA (DHM-10)\nDirector of Engineering\nTo:\nUS DOT\nDate:\nFax#\n202-366-3012\n7 May 2002\nTel #:\n1800467-4922\nRe:\nUse of \"DOT-39 NRC\" Cylinder\nPages: 1 of2\nDear Mr. Mazzullo\nMr. Cameron Satterthwaite recommended that I forward this request for interpretation to you.\nBackground:\non the bottom. Its specifications are as follows: 3.543\" OD X 13.562\" L); flat bottom; Volume 1720ml (104\nThe cylinder in question has in raised lettering DOT-39 NRC 500/625 M1039 TC-39M NRC 34/43 stamped\ncu In); min. burst pressure 1440 psi; approval -DOT spec 39.\nvorking temperature of 32F to 120F. The system will use between 2 to 2.5 Ibs of multi-purpose dry\nThe cylinder will be used in a fixed fire extinguisher syster that Is pressurized to 150 psi at 70F and has\nchemical with dry nitrogen gas being used as the propellant.\nbe designed to meet the requirements of US DOT or Transport Canada if used as shipping containers\nThe fire protection standard (NFPA-17) that we need to meet requires that the storage container used shall\nunder pressure.\nThe system would be sold to end-users as a complete self-contained pressurized system. We would need\nthe syster to be capable of being refilled and recharged by distributors. The system after being discharged\nwould be transported back to the end user and reinstalled.\nwould be sempet dstributors shop, refilled and pressurized. After being recharged it\n1. Can this cylinder be used in this application? Is this cylinder (or application) considered a\n2. Is their anything special that we must do?\nnonspecification cylinder?\n3. Can this cylinder after initial shipment and installation, be transported for refilling and recharging if\n4. Does this system require hydrostatic testing? If so at what frequency? Does it need to have an\ninternal visible inspection preformed? If so at what frequency?\n(e); 173-28 (e); and 178.65.\nThe paragraphs that I have been reviewing are as follows: 173.309 (a) (3); 29 CFR 1910.157 (e): 173.34\nthe above referenced cylinders? Your immediate response would be greatly appreciated because I must\nCan you please provide answers to these questions so that I can clarify my position with regards to using\nmake a decision on the use of these cylinders as soon as possible.","truncated":false,"body_characters":6153}