The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued an emergency order mandating a recall of cylinders manufactured by The Lite Cylinder Company, Inc. (Lite Cylinder). PHMSA also terminated the company's authority to re-qualify and manufacture DOT cylinders.
The emergency order was issued after a PHMSA investigation of Lite Cylinder of Franklin, Tennessee, revealed unsafe conditions and practices. The emergency order mandated more than 55,000 two-piece fully wrapped fiber composite cylinders be removed from service. These composite cylinders are commonly used as portable fuel tanks for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
In accordance with the emergency order, Lite Cylinder must immediately contact all cylinder owners and provide instructions about how to safely discharge, purge and remove the valve from the cylinder and how to safely return those cylinders to Lite Cylinder.
Cylinders manufactured by Lite Cylinder with any of the following markings are subject to this recall:
•DOT-SP 14562
•DOT-SP-13957
•DOT-SP 13105 (Only if manufactured by The Lite Cylinder Company. Cylinders manufactured by Composite Scandinavia [M0408] and marked with this number are not subject to the recall)
•Any cylinder requalified under requalification approval H706
•Any cylinder manufactured under M5729
Emergency orders are issued when PHMSA determines that the continued use of such an item would constitute an imminent hazard. Removal and recall of these composite cylinders is a serious safety matter that should be promptly addressed by cylinder owners, gas fillers, shippers and carriers of hazardous materials.
PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Information Center stands ready to assist anyone who has questions. The Info Center can be reached toll free at 800-467-4922.
Go here for more information:
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/Hazmat/Lite%20Cylinder%20Company%20Recall%20flyer%20-%20IAFC.pdf
And here for instructions if you have one of these cylinders: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Press%20Releases/Additional%20Guidance%20-%20Lite%20Cylinder%20Emergency%20Recall%20Order.pdf
