Preparing Cylinders for Scrap

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U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
regulations require condemned cylinders that
stored and transported hazardous materials
(including propane) must be properly marked or
rendered incapable of holding pressure.
Preparing cylinders for scrapping requires
compliance with company policies and operating
procedures, while applying precautions during
this hazardous operation.

• In this module, you will learn to identify
• DOT regulations for condemned cylinders
• safety precautions to apply when preparing
  cylinders for scrap
• methods for complying with DOT requirements for
  condemned cylinders and preparing them for
  scrapping
• documentation of cylinders removed from service
  and scrapped

3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 1
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DOT Regulations for Condemned Cylinders
Condemn means a determination that a cylinder is
unserviceable for the continued transportation of
hazardous materials in commerce and that the
cylinder may not be restored by repair,
rebuilding, requalification, or any other
procedure. Defect means an imperfection
requiring removal of a cylinder from service.
Rejected cylinder means a cylinder that cannot
be used for the transportation of a hazardous
material in commerce without repair, rebuilding,
and requalification.
3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 1
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DOT Regulations for Condemned Cylinders
(2) When a cylinder must be condemned, the
requalifier must stamp a series of Xs over the
DOT specification number and the marked pressure
or stamp CONDEMNED on the shoulder, top head,
or neck using a steel stamp. Alternatively, at
the direction of the owner, the requalifier may
render the cylinder incapable of holding
pressure. In addition, the requalifier must
notify the cylinder owner, in writing, that the
cylinder is condemned and may not be filled with
hazardous material and offered for transportation
in commerce where use of a specification
packaging is required. (3) No person may remove
or obliterate the CONDEMNED marking.
49 CFR 180.205(i)
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Safety Precautions for Preparing Cylinders for
Scrap

• The liquid propane in cylinders must be evacuated
  and the internal pressure reduced to atmospheric
  pressure before cylinders are prepared for
  scrapping.
• A suitable BC fire extinguisher should be
  immediately accessible to persons preparing
  cylinders for scrapping.
• All work to prepare cylinders for scrapping
  should be done in a well-ventilated area
  outdoors. Ignition sources must be kept at least
  25 feet away from the work area.

3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 2
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Safety Precautions for Preparing Cylinders for
Scrap

• Suitable personal protective equipment (PPE)
  should be worn during these operations.
• Heavy ends and other residual products that
  collect in cylinders, including water, methanol,
  and propane odorants, must not be dumped on the
  ground.
• If inert gases are used during the removal
  operation, the pressure should be regulated to
  less than 10 psig for charging the cylinder. A
  pressurized inert gas charge should not exceed
  the strength of the charged cylinder, should not
  be used with cylinders that indicate extreme
  corrosion, nor be introduced into a cylinder
  through a brass valve that has been exposed to
  anhydrous ammonia.

3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 2
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Methods for Preparing Condemned Cylinders for
Scrapping
Comply with any company policies and operating
procedures that apply to removing DOT cylinders
from service, preparing them for scrapping, and
recycling cylinders and brass valves.

• DOT requires the disposition of condemned
  cylinders in one of two ways
• Marking out the DOT specification and cylinder
  design pressure, using X stampings
• Rendering the cylinder incapable of holding
  pressure

Step 1 Evacuate liquid propane from the cylinder. Further reduce the vapor pressure to atmospheric pressure.
3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 3
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Methods for Preparing Condemned Cylinders for
Scrapping
Step 2 With all valves closed, secure the cylinder in a cylinder vise or other restraining device, and durably mark Xs over the DOT specification and design pressure, by stamping, engraving, scribing, or any method that produces a legible mark. The Xs must be a minimum of ¼-inch in height.
Figure 1. X Stampings on Condemned Cylinder
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Methods for Preparing Condemned Cylinders for
Scrapping
Step 3 Render the cylinder incapable of holding pressure, using one of these methods. Retain the cylinder secured in a cylinder vise or similar device.
Water-filling method Or Inert gas method
Figure 2. Rendering a DOT Cylinder Incapable of
Holding Pressure
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Methods for Preparing Condemned Cylinders for
Scrapping
Step 4 Remove or obliterate the DOT shipping label(s) from the cylinder. Record the cylinder information on forms designated by your company. Move the cylinder to the plant area for cylinders ready for scrapping.
Figure 3. DOT Cylinder Shipping Label
3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Page 5
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Documenting Cylinders Removed from Service and
Scrapped
Documentation of cylinders removed from service
or scrapped must be maintained.
Comply with any company policies and operating
procedures that apply to removing DOT cylinders
from service, preparing them for scrapping, and
recycling cylinders and brass valves.   Record
all required cylinder information (serial number,
size, etc.) on designated company asset inventory
forms in every case where cylinders are removed
from service and scrapped.
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Time to See If You Got the Key Points of This
Module

• Complete the Review on pages 7 8.
• See if you are ready for the Certification Exam
  by checking off the performance criteria on
  pages 9 10.

3.2.6 Student Book ? 2004 Propane Education Research Council Pages 7 - 10