Requirements for cargo tank motor vehicle assemblers

From an NTEA member Customers are asking us to build vehicles to haul flammable liquids and other hazardous materials. We want to know more about our requirements as a potential builder of cargo tank motor vehicles. We have identified a company that will supply us with a certified cargo tank. What are the other requirements? The building of hazardous material vehicles is a highly regulated industry as is the transportation of hazardous materials, which requires specialized packaging. Cargo tank motor vehicle builders must register with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in accordance with 49 CFR Part 107 Hazardous Materials Program Procedures Subpart F Registration of Cargo Tank and Cargo Tank Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Assemblers, Repairers, Inspectors, Testers, and Design Certifying Engineers. There are three potential registration requirements for builders of cargo tank motor vehicles: Cargo Tank Motor Vehicle Assembler Registered Inspector Design Certifying Engineer This article addresses requirements for a registered cargo tank motor vehicle assembler. Even if your company only assembles a hazardous material cargo tank that has been built and certified by another company, your company must register under Subpart F. In fact, assemble, by definition, includes any of the following that does not involve welding on the cargo tank wall: Mounting one or more cargo tanks on a motor vehicle Installing equipment or components necessary to meet the specification requirements prior to the tank certification of the cargo tank motor vehicle Installing linings, coatings or other materials inside a cargo tank wall If welding to the cargo tank is required, the assembler must have either an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) “U” stamp for manufacture or ASME “R” stamp for repair. The assembler must have a registered inspector certify that the assembled cargo tank motor vehicle conforms to all applicable PHMSA and Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications. The cargo tank motor vehicle assembler must also affix a specification plate to the motor vehicle with the applicable marking required from 49 CFR Part 178 for the regulated specification cargo tank involved. The assembler must also provide the cargo tank motor vehicle owner with a certificate signed by the responsible company official and a registered inspector certifying that the cargo tank motor vehicle is constructed, tested and completed in accordance to the applicable tank specification. This certification is in addition to the normal vehicle certification to applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) as required under 49 CFR Parts 567 and 568 for motor vehicles. To register as a Cargo Tank Motor Vehicle Assembler, you must follow the requirements in 49 CFR Part 107.502 General Requirements and 49 CFR Part 107.503 Registration Statement. These regulations can be found at ecfr.gov. Per 49 CFR Part 107.504, the registration will be valid for a maximum of six years and must be renewed every six years or within 30 days of an ASME or National Board review change. Your company must also retain the registration information for two additional years over the registration period. As you can see, the building and assembly of hazardous material hauling vehicles is highly regulated and requires very specific procedures to properly build and certify the vehicle to both the specification cargo tank standards and FMVSS requirements — even if you are only assembling a cargo tank on an incomplete chassis or moving a cargo tank from an old chassis to a new one. Definitions from 49 CFR Part 171.8 Design Certifying Engineer means a person registered with the Department in accordance with Subpart F of Part 107 of this chapter who has the knowledge and ability to perform stress analysis of pressure vessels and otherwise determine whether a cargo tank design and construction meets the applicable DOT specification. A Design Certifying Engineer meets the knowledge and ability requirements of this section by meeting any one of the following requirements_ Has an engineering degree and one year of work experience in cargo tank structural or mechanical design; Is currently registered as a professional engineer by appropriate authority of a state of the United States or a province of Canada; or Has at least three years’ experience in performing the duties of a Design Certifying Engineer prior to September 1, 1991. Registered Inspector means a person registered with the Department in accordance with Subpart F of Part 107 of this chapter who has the knowledge and ability to determine whether a cargo tank conforms to the applicable DOT specification. A Registered Inspector meets the knowledge and ability requirements of this section by meeting any one of the following requirements_ Has an engineering degree and one year of work experience relating to the testing and inspection of cargo tanks; Has an associate degree in engineering and two years of work experience relating to the testing and inspection of cargo tanks; Has a high school diploma (or General Equivalency Diploma) and three years of work experience relating to the testing and inspection of cargo tanks; or Has at least three years’ experience performing the duties of a Registered Inspector prior to September 1, 1991.

Requirements for cargo tank motor vehicle assemblers

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