PHMSA Publishes Emergency Recall Order

Today the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an emergency recall order in today’s Federal Register (78 FR 34156-34160) for all gas cylinders manufactured by the Lite Cylinder Company of Franklin, TN. The order includes all the following cylinders that were:

• Marked as authorized under DOT-SP 14562, DOT-SP13957, and DOT-SP 14562;

• Requalified under H706; or

• Manufactured under M5729.

According to the Company’s web site, these are propane/butane portable gas bottles made from composite materials with a plastic ‘see-through’ tank. They were sold in 10-lb, 20-lb, 25-lb and 35-lb cylinders.

PHMSA is taking this action because Lite Cylinder:

• “Failed to notify the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, in writing, of incidents involving DOT-SP 14562 cylinder failures, as required by DOT-SP 14562, Paragraph 12.”

• “Failed to comply with PHMSA Notice of Suspension dated May 10, 2007, which required Lite Cylinder to cease the sales of all DOT-SP 13957 cylinders.”

• “Failed to test DOT-SP 14562 cylinders at the minimum test pressure of 480 psi as required by Paragraph 7.a.1 of the Fifth Revision issued on October 19, 2011.”

• “Failed to conduct cycle and burst testing at random intervals, as required by DOT-SP 14562, Paragraphs 7.a.10.ii-.iii.”

• “Failed to manufacture DOT-SP 14562 cylinders in accordance with the Quality Systems Manual (QSM) on file with PHMSA's Permits and Approvals Division, as required by Paragraph 7.a of DOT-SP 14562.”

• “Failed to notify PHMSA of changes to its QSM as required by Paragraph 7.a of DOT-SP 14562.”

• “Marked and sold “DOT-SP 14562” cylinders that were not designed and manufactured in conformance with TLCCI drawings D10DOT, D10DOTAS, D20DOT, D20DOTAS, DOT 33-100-D0001, DOT 33-100-D0002, DOT 33-100-D0003, DOT 33-D0004 on file with PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety—Approvals and Permits as required by Paragraph 7.a of DOT-SP 14562.”

In this emergency recall, PHMSA is requiring Lite Cylinder to:

• Contact all Cylinder Owners to whom affected packagings have been sold and inform them of the Emergency Recall Order and provide them the proper and necessary instruction and information for the safe handling and discharge of hazardous material and for the return shipment of cylinders no later than five business days of this Order. 

• Confirm that the returned cylinders are purged and emptied.

• Ensure that the purged and empty cylinders are returned to the manufacturer at the following address: The Lite Cylinder Company, 139 Southeast Parkway Court, Franklin, TN 37064.

• Provide by email the serial number of each returned cylinder to PHMSA at specialpermits@dot.gov (referencing “Lite Cylinder” in the subject line) by the close of business daily. Please note any problems that may have been witnessed with the cylinder (e.g. leakage, damage, etc.).Show citation box

• Permanently obliterate the special permit specification markings and render them incapable of holding pressure within five business days of possession, including those in inventory.

PHMSA is also requesting that anyone with knowledge of any failure or incident involving any of these cylinders should contact John Heneghan, Regional Director (john.heneghan@dot.gov), or Aaron Mitchell, Director Field Services Support (aaron.mitchell@dot.gov).