{"operation":"document","citation":"13-0075","title":"Western International Gas & Cylinders — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2013-05-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"13-0075 response to Western International Gas & Cylinders concerning 173.301b.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0075.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0075.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0075","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130075.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n1 200 New Jersey Ave, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMAY 1 5 2013\nDr. Wesley D. Scott\nWestern International Gas & Cylinders\nP.O. Box 668, 7173 Highway 159 East\nBellville, Texas 77418\nRefNo.: 13-0075\nDear Dr. Scott:\nThis is a response to your April 4, 2013 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 1 00-185) with regard to UN pressure receptacles. Specifically,\nyou request clarification of the \"H\" marking required by § 173.301 b(f) and the filling of steel UN\npressure receptacles.\nIn your email you note that § 173.301 b(f) requires that a steel UN pressure receptacle bearing an\n\"H'' mark be used for hydrogen bearing gases. You indicate that based on information provided at\nCompressed Gas Association (CGA) meetings and discussions with Mark Toughiry ofPHMSA's\nEngineering and Research Division, the intent of this section is not to limit pressure receptacles\nbearing an \"H\" marking exclusively to hydrogen bearing or embrittling gas service. You request\nconfirmation that pressure receptacles bearing the \"H\" mark are suitable for use for all gases in\nwhich a steel cylinder is specified as acceptable.\nIt is the opinion of this office that pressure receptacles bearing the \"H\" mark may be filled with\nhydrogen bearing gases, embrittling gases, or any other gases for which a steel pressure receptacle\nis indicated as appropriate. For hydrogen bearing and embrittling gases for which Special\nProvision N89 is listed in column 7 of the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) in § 1 72.101 and\nwhen a steel UN pressure receptacle is used, that pressure receptacle must bear the \"H\" mark.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nRobert Benedict\nChief, Standards Development\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n-----------\n-~-··--·-~-\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n.Qrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTuesday, April 09, 2013 2:18PM\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFW: Request for Interpretation 49CFR173.301b\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller would like their letter submitted a letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nFrom: Wesley Scott [mailto:wesleyscott@westernintl.com]\nSent: Thursday, April 041 2013 3:25 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nCc: Toughiryr Mark (PHMSA)\nSubject: Request for Interpretation 49CFR173.301b\nWestern International Gas & Cylinders, Inc. requests a formal interpretation of 49CFR173.301b, specifically sub-paragraph\n(f).\n(f) Hydrogen bearing gases. A steel UN pressure receptacle bearing an \"H\" mark must be used for hydrogen bearing gases\nor other embrittling gases that have the potential of causing hydrogen embrittlement .\n.\n'\nWestern International Gas & Cylinders, Inc. is a distributor of UN/ISO cylinders manufactured to ISO specification 9809-\n1. One of our customers has expressed concern that \"H\" marked cylinders can only be used for hydrogen\nbearing/embrittling gases based on the phrase \"must be used for\" in 49CFR173.301b(f).\nIt is Western's understanding based on information received at Compressed Gas Association (CGA) meetings and\ndiscussion with Mark Toughiry (US Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety\nAdministration, Engineering and Research) that the intent of 49CFR173.301b(f) is to require hydrogen bearing/embrittling\ngases be limited to cylinders with the \"H\" mark. However, steel cylinders bearing an \"H\" mark are suitable for use for all\ngases where a steel cylinder is specified as acceptable, excluding those gases that require a high grade stainless steel.\nConfusion over the meaning of the \"H\" mark will adversely affect the acceptance of UN cylinders in the US market. We\ntherefore request an official confirmation that cylinders with an \"H\" mark are not limited to hydrogen bearing/embrittling\ngas service.\nWesley D. Scott, PhD, PE\nSenior Review Technologist (SRT)\nWestern International Gas & Cylinders, Inc.\nP.O. Box 668, 7173 Highway 159 East\nBellville, Texas 77418\nT:979.413.2186 F:979.413.2386\nE-mail: wesleyscott@westernintl.com\nwww.westernintl.com\nNOTICE BY WESTERN INTERNATIONAL GAS & CYLINDERS, INC. This electronic message is sent for the sole purpose of\ndelivery to an intended recipient. Its contents are confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nmessage in error, any use, dissemination hereof is strictly prohibited, and you should immediately delete the message and\nany attachments, and notify me of your receipt of the message.\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":4604}