DfT Authorises Neck Rings
For many years some cylinder requalifiers
have used rings held in place by the cylinder valve as a safe,
satisfactory and convenient place to mark the tare weight of
cylinders and when they are next due for requalification.
With
the introduction of the 2003 ADR into UK law by the Carriage
of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment
Regulations, this practice was, strictly speaking, no longer
acceptable. The LPGA had, over the years, held a number of conversations
with the UK Competent Authority, the Department for Transport
(DfT), which agreed that the existing arrangement was not likely
to create a safety issue, based on the fact that it was already
acceptable for acetylene cylinders, but that it would have to
cease if ADR could not be amended.
There would be a significant
cost to industry in terms of capital and operational costs were
such a change to be necessary, as
well as greater risks due to increased manual handling. Consequently,
the LPGA produced a draft amendment to clause 6.2.1.7 of ADR,
based on the permission for acetylene, to allow the use of such
rings on all types of gas cylinder.
In October 2004, this was
submitted to DfT, which agreed to make it a UK proposal for inclusion
in the 2007 ADR. With its active
support, the proposal was agreed in principle in March 2005,
and finally agreed at the beginning of December.
At the same time,
DfT consulted on the possibility of early implementation of a
number of 2007 ADR requirements, including that on the use
of rings round the cylinder valve for requalification data.
"Unsurprisingly, the LPGA supported this,
and we are delighted that, on January 16, DfT issued Authorisation
Number 53,” said
Jeff Watson, technical manager at the LPGA. “ The whole
process took more than 18 months and we are deeply grateful for
the support and encouragement of DfT officials in gaining acceptance
of a sensible outcome.
"This follows the DfT’s acceptance
of 15 year cylinder retesting (see p23, LP Gas December/January
2006) and shows the necessity
of maintaining good relations with our regulators and making
sensible and timely representations to them.”
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