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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