Hazardous Materials: Revision to Regulations Governing Transportation and Unloading of Liquefied Compressed Gases

SUMMARY: RSPA is revising regulations applicable to the transportation and unloading of liquefied compressed gases. The revisions include new inspection, maintenance, and testing requirements for cargo tank discharge systems, including delivery hose assemblies, and revised attendance requirements applicable to liquefied petroleum gas and anhydrous ammonia to take account of certain unique operating characteristics. The revised attendance requirements provide a greater level of confidence that a qualified person attending the unloading operation can quickly identify and stop an unintentional release. Further, RSPA is revising requirements for cargo tank emergency discharge control equipment to provide a clear performance standard for passive emergency discharge control equipment that shuts down unloading operations without human intervention. The revised requirements also provide for a remote capability for certain cargo tanks to enable a person attending the unloading operation to shut off the flow of product when away from the motor vehicle during delivery. RSPA is allowing a two-year period for development and testing of emergency discharge control technology. After two years, newly manufactured MC 331 cargo tank motor vehicles must be equipped with emergency discharge control equipment that complies with the performance standards; MC 330, MC 331 and certain nonspecification cargo tank motor vehicles already in service must be retrofitted at their first scheduled pressure test after the two-year period. These revisions are intended to reduce the risk of an unintentional release of a liquefied compressed gas during unloading, assure prompt detection and control of an unintentional release, and make the regulatory requirements easier to understand and comply with.

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