Regulation of Dangerous Goods

Background

Pressure receptacles containing Class 2 DG are required to comply with the requirements for packing, marking and labelling stipulated in section 142 of Cap. 295G as well as the special packing requirements stipulated in section 145 of Cap. 295G.  This Part provides practice guidance to facilitate the compliance of packing requirements, including the filling ratio requirements, and special packing requirements for pressure receptacles containing Class 2 DG.

Apart from above, it is reminded that the owner of the pressure receptacle(s) shall keep records of the testing and inspection as long as they are in use in Hong Kong pursuant to section 146 of Cap. 295G.

Legal Requirements

Pursuant to section 142(1) of Cap. 295G:

A person must not store or convey, or cause or permit to be stored or conveyed, S2DG unless the packing, marking and labelling requirements specified in Schedule 6 are complied with in relation to the S2DG.

Pursuant to section 142(3) of Cap. 295G:

A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 6 and to imprisonment for 6 months.

General Application

This chapter provides the packing requirements of pressure receptacle for containing Class 2 DG for the purpose of section 142(1) of Cap. 295G. This chapter is not applicable to DG in consumer packs and DG contained in receptacle(s) forming part of machinery pursuant to section 140 of Cap. 295G.

Packing Requirements

Basic Packing Instructions (BP)

The appropriate BP for the specific DG provided at column 7 of the DG List shall be met. Details of BP with SP are provided at Appendix 5 of the Code.

Construction and Design

Pressure receptacle shall be constructed and closed so as to prevent any loss of contents or leakage which might be caused under normal conditions of handling, including by vibration, or by changes in temperature, humidity or pressure.

Pressure receptacle and its ancillaries shall be designed, manufactured, tested and equipped in such a way as to withstand all conditions, including fatigue, to which they will be subjected to during normal conditions of handling.

In no case shall the minimum wall thickness of the pressure receptacle be less than that specified in the standards the pressure receptacle which is manufactured in accordance with.

Contact between dissimilar metals shall be avoided as to prevent damage by galvanic action.

Pressure receptacle and its closures shall be made of the materials that are resistant to brittle fracture and to stress corrosion cracking.

The parts of pressure receptacle which are in direct contact with DG:

(a) shall not be affected or significantly weakened by those DG;

(b) shall not cause a dangerous effect (e.g. catalysing a reaction or reacting with the DG);

(c) shall not allow permeation of the DG that could constitute a danger under normal conditions of storage or conveyance; and

(d) where necessary to comply with (a) to (c) above, they shall be provided with a suitable inner coating or treatment.

Valves of the pressure receptacle shall be designed and constructed in such a way that they are inherently able to withstand damage without release of the contents or shall be protected from damage which could cause release of the contents of the pressure receptacle. The following methods shall be adopted during conveyance with the quantity exceeds the GEQ or aggregate EQ, as the case may be:

(a) Valves are placed inside the neck of the pressure receptacle and protected by a threaded plug or cap;

(b) Valves are protected by caps. Caps shall possess vent-holes of sufficient cross-sectional area to evacuate the gas if leakage occurs at the valves;

(c) Valves are protected by shrouds or guards; or

(d) Pressure receptacles are conveyed in frames (e.g. bundles) or an outer packaging.

Packing of Class 2 DG

During the conveyance of DG with quantity exceeds the GEQ or aggregate EQ, as the case may be, in pressure receptacle with capacities of 1 L or less, they shall be packed in outer packagings constructed of suitable material of adequate strength and design in relation to the capacity of the packaging and its intended use and secured or cushioned so as to prevent significant movement within the outer packaging during conveyance.

When outer packagings are used, the pressure receptacle(s) shall be firmly secured therein.

The integrity of the packaging shall not be affected if ice is used as a coolant.

Multiple types of Class 2 DG shall not be packed together if they are determined as incompatible according to 2.3.3 of the Code, except for the following situations:

(a) during storage, each type of DG does not exceed their respective GEQ / IEQ / SEQ (as the case may be) and the aggregate quantity of DG does not exceed the aggregate EQ; or

(b) during conveyance, each type of DG does not exceed their respective GEQ and the aggregate quantity of DG does not exceed the aggregate EQ.

Non-refillable pressure receptacle shall:

(a) be conveyed in an outer packaging, such as a box, or crate, or in shrink-wrapped trays or stretch-wrapped trays if the quantity of DG exceeds the GEQ or aggregate EQ, as the case may be;

(b) not be used for toxic gases with an LC₅₀ less than or equal to 200 ml/m³; and

(c) not be refilled.

Pressure receptacle, except for non-refillable pressure receptacle exempted from approval, shall only be filled with the gas or gas mixture as specified in the approval of pressure receptacle given by FSD.

Refillable pressure receptacle shall not be filled with a gas or gas mixture different from that previously contained unless the necessary operations for change of gas service have been performed.

Defects and Repairs

Filled pressure receptacle shall not be used to contain any gases:

(a) when not in good condition, e.g. leaking;

(b) when damaged to such an extent that the integrity of the pressure receptacle or its service equipment may be affected;

(c) unless the pressure receptacle and its service equipment has been examined and found to be in good working order; or

(d) unless the required certification, testing record, and filling marks are legible.

Repairs shall be consistent with the manufacture and testing requirements of the standards that the pressure receptacle are manufactured. Pressure receptacle, other than the jacket of closed cryogenic receptacles, shall not be repaired for reuse in following situations:

(a) weld cracks or other weld defects;

(b) cracks in walls; and

(c) leaks or defects in the material of the wall, head or bottom.

Non-refillable pressure receptacle shall not be repaired after being put into service.