HOT TOPICS
Compressed Gas Cylinder Valves Problems -
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
This alert is to inform you of potential hazards associated with two
specific lots of compressed gas cylinder valves and provide recommendations
for addressing cylinders which utilize these valves.
THE PROBLEM
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has been advised by a valve supplier
that certain lots of cylinder valves, as described in the following section,
may have had excessive torque applied to the bonnet during assembly, resulting
in damaged threads. There have been a few reported failures of these bonnets
during filling of cylinders with these valves. These failures have resulted
in the high pressure expulsion of the handwheel and bonnet assemblies.
These expulsions have been reported to be of sufficient force to potentially
cause injury to personnel and damage to property.
AFFECTED VALVES
The valves were manufactured by Sherwood and sold for use throughout
the industrial gas industry. They are of the TV series with CGA-580 cylinder
connections. This connection is used for argon, helium, nitrogen and nonflammable
gas mixtures. The valves have the connection number, CGA 580, and date
code stamped into the wrench flat for the valve body. Please refer to
the information provided by Sherwood (see below) for the exact location
of these stampings. The potentially impacted lots are identified by the
date codes 48-99 and 03-00.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Carefully check the valves on all industrial gas cylinders containing
argon, helium, nitrogen, nonflammable gas mixtures or any other cylinders
equipped with valves with CGA 580 connections. Check the valves for the
following stampings: CGA 580 48-99 or CGA 580-03-00. If you find any cylinders
supplied by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (as identified on the product
label or on the neck ring of the cylinder), with valves bearing these
stampings in your inventory, the following actions must be taken.
If the cylinders are not in use, quarantine the cylinders immediately
and mark with a DO NOT USE tag. Contact Air Products to arrange for pickup
and replacement by Air Products.
If your cylinder is connected to a pressurized system with or without
the valve open, DO NOT TOUCH THE CYLINDER OR CYLINDER VLAVE! The potential
for bonnet expulsion primarily exists when the valve is opened or the
cylinder is connected to a pressurized system. Isolate the area and contact
Air Products for assistance at 1-800-224-2724.
If the cylinders belong to supplier other than Air Products, contact
that company for instructions. Further information about this safety alert
is available from the following website: http://www.airproducts.com/productstewardship/bulletins/safetyalert.asp
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