Worthington Enterprises supports PHMSA cylinder safety advisory

Worthington Enterprises is encouraging consumers, contractors, retailers and other users of pressure cylinders to follow the Jan. 13 safety advisory issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regarding unsafe cylinders manufactured primarily by non-U.S. companies.

“Cylinders that are not authorized for the safe filling or transport of gases are being sold online by major retailers,” PHMSA writes in its advisory. “PHMSA is particularly concerned that these cylinders are not manufactured to a DOT specification or U.N. (United Nations) standard, lack certification markings as required by [PHMSA’s regulations] and are being sold to consumers and HVAC personnel and service technicians. For cylinders that are used for activities such as outdoor grilling or camping, consumers should ensure their cylinders are in compliance with [PHMSA’s regulations] for their own safety. Likewise, technicians are supposed to use authorized DOT specification or U.N. standard cylinders to extract or recover refrigerant gas from systems in need of repair or replacement, so that the cylinder can be safely and legally transported.”

“We are grateful for PHMSA’s work to keep Americans safe, and we share the agency’s concerns about the proliferation of non-compliant cylinders making their way into and throughout our country,” says Joe Hayek, president and CEO of Worthington Enterprises. “There is mounting evidence that companies in China and other countries are undermining DOT’s pressurized cylinder quality and safety standards that Worthington has adhered to for more than 50 years. The sale of non-compliant cylinders and the shipping of hazardous material in those cylinders without required markings creates safety risks that need to be addressed.”

According to Worthington, the Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2023 (H.R. 3404 and S. 1632) is an important part of the solution. The proposed bill, which was introduced by a bipartisan group of co-sponsors from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, seeks to require the U.S. secretary of transportation to establish regulations relating to cylinders manufactured in foreign countries and sold in the United States. Regulations could include facility inspections and other protocols to ensure safety and compliance. While this bill was not enacted before the end of the last congressional session, Worthington says it is eager to collaborate with the new Congress and presidential administration to enact these reforms in 2025.

“These products, which are growing in variety and volume, are potentially unsafe and put users in danger,” Hayek adds. “The risks presented will only grow in the absence of consistent inspection and accountability. We are looking forward to working with Congress and the professional leadership at PHMSA to champion high-quality and safe products made in America.”

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