PHMSA issues safety advisory notice

A safety advisory concerns cylinders bearing the DOT specification markings “DOT 4E” or “DOT 4BA.” Photo: Joe_Potato/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a safety advisory in the Federal Register Nov. 1 to inform the public, industrial gas stakeholders and relevant government officials of the risks associated with requalifying, filling and transporting cylinders bearing the DOT specification markings “DOT 4E” or “DOT 4BA” that were produced by a company located in Thailand by the name of Metal Mate, reports the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA).

Foreign cylinder manufacturers are required to obtain approval from PHMSA that permits them to perform the required chemical analyses and tests outside the United States. Metal Mate has not received this approval from PHMSA, NPGA says. Therefore, these cylinders may not perform to the marked DOT standard and may not be safe for commercial transportation or consumer use, adds NPGA.

A copy of this safety advisory notice can be found in the Federal Register on pages 58829 and 58830.