# Structural Composites Industries (SCI) — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 02-0295
- **title:** Structural Composites Industries (SCI) — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2003-04-03
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 02-0295 response to Structural Composites Industries (SCI) concerning 178.35.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0295.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0295.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0295
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020295.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
Research and
of Transportation
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Special Programs
Administration
APH - 3 2003
Mr. Robert Beck
Director of Quality and Technical Services
Structural Composites Industries (SCI)
Ref No. 02-0295
325 Enterprise Place
Pomona, CA 91768
Dear Mr. Beck:
This is in response to your November 13, 2002, letter requesting clarification of the marking
requirements of cylinders manufactured to the Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Aluminum Lined Cylinders
(DOT-CFFC) standard. You stated that most carbon composite cylinders manufactured by SCI have
an outside layer of a resin-based material (FlowCoat) added to the cylinder. Specifically, you asked if it
is permissible to place the cylinder label containing the manufacturing standard information under this
FlowCoat.
The answer is no. The marking requirements in DOT-CFFC Standard, Section CFFC-14, state that
cylinders made in conformance with this standard and the applicable DOT exemption must be
permanently marked (other than stamping) in the composite overwrap on the sidewall. Therefore, your
proposed label application does not meet the requirements of the DOT-CFFC standard.
You may submit a request to modify the terms of the applicable exemption by providing supporting
information to demonstrate that your proposed modification will achieve a level of safety at least equal
to that established by the current standard and current exemption.
If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Regulations Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
178.35
020295

<<<PAGE 2>>>

•
Structural Composites Industries
SCE
Harsco
Pomona, CA 91768 USA
325 Enterprise Place
Telephone: 909.594.7777
Web: www.scicomposites.com
Fax: 909.594.3939
November 13, 2002
Webb
Via Federal Express
$178.35
Mr. Ed Mazzullo
I. S. Department of Transportatio
Cylinders
Standards Section
office of Hazardous Material:
02-0295
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 South Seventh Street S.W.
Subject:
Request for Interpretation of CFFC-14 MARKING
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
conformance with this standard and the applicable DOT exemption must be permanently
CFFC Specification, section CFFC-14 Marking (a) reads; "Each cylinder that is made in
narked (other than stamping) in the composite over wrap on the sidewall. The marking
environment and handling."
nust be easily visible and must be protected from external damage due to the
Most carbon composite cylinders manufactured by Structural Composites Industries
have an outside layer of a resin-based material (FlowCoat) added to the cylinder. In the
ylinder label under this coating. In the case where there is no FlowCoat as the exterio
ase where the cylinder has FlowCoat as the exterior coating, SCI wants to put th
coating, SCI will continue to put the label under a layer of fiberglass.
it is our position that both of the above cases of label application meet the intent of the
specification; i.e. "must be easily visible and protected from external damage due to the
environment and handling." Please issue a formal written interpretation on our position.
Sincerely
Director of Quality and Technical Services
Harsco Corporation Gas & Fluid Control Group

<<<PAGE 3>>>

DOT-CFFC BASIC REQUIREMENTS (FOURTH REVISION)
PAGE 20
and operated so as to obtain accurate data
The pressure reading must be accurate withir
calibration.
CGA pamphlet C-1 "Methods of Hydrostatic
Testing of Compressed Gas Cylinders."
in each lot must be subjected to a
Visual inspection and marking:
thorough visual
All cylinders
marking requirements.
inspection for quality and for conformance with the
CFFC-14
MARKING:
(a) Each cylinder that is made in conformance with
this standard and the applicable DOT exemption must
must be easily visible and must be protected from
The marking
external damage due to the environment and handling.
requirements of this standard and the DOT exemption
(b) The details of the marking must conform to the
marking must contain the following:
under which the cylinders are manufactured. The
followed by service pressure expressed ir
(1) DOT Exemption number (DOT E-XXXXX)
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) .
identification number or a symbol as obtained
(11) A serial number and the manufacturer's
Materials safety,
from the Associate Administrator for Hazardous
immediately following the DOT marking above.
located just below or
must be placed near the serial number.
(iii)
The DOT inspector's official mark
marking must contain date (month and year) of
The
the initial hydrostatic test for that cylinder.
* (iv) Rejection elastic expansion (REE)
marking in cubic centimeters.
design type cylinder is obtained as follows:
The REE for each
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 4725
