Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Cargo Tanks Used to Transport Hazardous Materials

Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Cargo Tanks Used to Transport Hazardous Materials

Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Cargo Tanks Used to Transport Hazardous Materials

Kenneth R. Wykle
Federal Highway Administration
February 11, 1998

[Federal Register: February 11, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 28)]
[Notices]
[Page 7047-7049]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11fe98-121]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration
[Notice 97-1]

Safety Advisory: Unauthorized Cargo Tanks Used to Transport
Hazardous Materials

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is to notify the public that certain specification DOT
407 and DOT 412 cargo tank motor vehicles manufactured by Prairie State
Equipment, doing business as Petro Steel, in Mitchell, SD, are not
authorized for the transportation of hazardous materials unless the
original accident damage protection devices have been modified to
improve their structural strength. Failure of these devices during a
collision could result in serious injury, death, and property damage.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bill Quade, Office of Motor
Carrier Safety and Technology, (202) 366-0476; Federal Highway
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590-0001. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to
4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cargo tanks represented, marked, certified,
or sold for use in the bulk transportation of hazardous materials must
conform with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) (49 CFR 171-
180). Specification DOT 407 and DOT 412 cargo tanks are authorized to
transport numerous hazardous materials including flammable liquids
(e.g., toluene), poisonous liquids, (e.g., pesticides), corrosive
liquids (e.g., sulfuric acid), and others. Due to the risk of
transporting these types of materials in bulk, the DOT 407 and DOT 412
cargo tank specifications require these tanks to be protected from
damage during rear-end or rollover accidents. Requirements concerning
the size and strength of these accident damage protection devices are
set forth in Sec. 178.345-8.
During a compliance review of Prairie State Equipment, doing
business as Petro Steel, in Mitchell, SD, the FHWA discovered that
rollover protection devices and rear-end protection devices as
manufactured and installed on some cargo tanks did not meet the
requirements of the DOT specifications. Since these tanks were not
equipped with adequate accident damage protection devices required by
the specifications, they may not be represented as specification cargo
tanks and may not be used to transport hazardous materials which
require a specification cargo tank. Specifically, as manufactured by
Petro Steel, the rollover damage protection devices installed on the
following cargo tanks did not meet the requirements of the
specifications:

[[Page 7048]]

1P9TAR20XR2021215...................... DOT 407 CVT-25
1P9TAR208S2021218...................... DOT 407 CVT-25
1P9TAR206S2021220...................... DOT 407 CVT-25
1P9TAR207P2021203...................... DOT 407 CVT-25
1P9TAR200P2021205...................... DOT 407 CVT-25
1P9TAR209P2021204...................... DOT 407 CVT-25-SS
94101.................................. DOT 412 CST-38
94102.................................. DOT 412 CST-38
92130.................................. DOT 407 CTM-42
92123.................................. DOT 407 CTM-45
92124.................................. DOT 407 CTM-45
94103.................................. DOT 407 CTM-55
92120.................................. DOT 407/412 CTM-70-SS
95101.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
95104.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
93114.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
93113.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
92125.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
93116.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
94108.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
93117.................................. DOT 407 CTM-70
93105.................................. DOT 407 CRO-70
92121.................................. DOT 407/412 CTM-80
94105.................................. DOT 407 CTM-80
92117.................................. DOT 407/412 CTM-80
93118.................................. DOT 407 CTM-80
95102.................................. DOT 407 CTM-80
92131.................................. DOT 407 CTM-80
94109.................................. DOT 407 CTM-80
92119.................................. DOT 407 CTO-80
93100.................................. DOT 407 CTM-90
93119.................................. DOT 407 CTM-90
95100.................................. DOT 407 CTM-110-2
1P9TAA208N2021189...................... DOT 407 CVT-130
1P9TAA207N2021197...................... DOT 407 CVT-130
1P9TAA204R2021213...................... DOT 412 CVT-130
1P9TAA200R2021208...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-2
1P9TAA209N2021198...................... DOT 407 CVT-130-2
1P9TAA209R2021207...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA200R2021209...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA202R2021210...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA209R2021211...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA200R2021212...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA207R2021206...................... DOT 412 CVT-160-2
1P9TBA209N2021194...................... DOT 407 CVT-196
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Additionally, as manufactured by Petro Steel, the rear-end
protection devices installed on the following cargo tanks did not meet
the requirements of the specifications:

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Vehicle identification No./serial No. DOT specification Design type
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1P9TAA208N2021189...................... DOT 407 CVT-130
1P9TAA207N2021197...................... DOT 412 CVT-130
1P9TAA204R2021213...................... DOT 412 CVT-130
1P9TAA200R2021208...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-2
1P9TAA209N2021198...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-2
1P9TAA209R2021207...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA200R2021209...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA202R2021210...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA209R2021211...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA200R2021212...................... DOT 412 CVT-130-SS
1P9TAA207R2021206...................... DOT 412 CVT-160-2
1P9TBA209N2021194...................... DOT 407 CVT-196
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Cargo tanks listed above may be used to transport hazardous
materials if they have been modified to a design certified by Petro
Steel or another Design Certifying Engineer (DCE) as meeting the
requirements of Sec. 178.345-8. Cargo tanks which have not had
appropriate modifications must have the DOT specification plate
removed, obliterated, or covered and may not be used to transport
hazardous materials requiring a specification cargo tank.

Authority: 49 CFR 1.48.

[[Page 7049]]

Issued on: February 3, 1998.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-3303 Filed 2-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M