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View Full Version : Check your tanks! Global Composits International decertified!!!



PRPB
08-22-2005, 10:57 AM
I just found this out on another forum. If you have or know something that have a tank made by GUI. Get it replaced!!

If this happen to been posted already. Then this is just another friendly reminder. :D

http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/sa/70fr-47273.htm


[Federal Register: August 12, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 155)]
[Notices]
[Page 47273-47274]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12au05-143]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2005-20104 (Notice No. 05-06)]


Safety Advisory: Manufacture, Marking, and Sale of Substandard
Compressed Gas Cylinders

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.

ACTION: Safety advisory notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This is to notify the public that PHMSA and the Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) are investigating the manufacture, marking, and
sale of high pressure DOT exemption cylinders made and/or distributed
by Global Composites International, Inc. (GCI), Ontario, CA. PHMSA and
the OIG have evidence that suggests GCI manufactured, marked,
certified, and sold an undetermined number of high-pressure DOT
exemption carbon fiber filament cylinders when the cylinders had not
been manufactured in accordance with the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR), DOT-E 12695, and the design qualification standards
incorporated into the exemption. The evidence suggests that some of
these cylinders were not wrapped with a sufficient number of carbon
fiber layers to insure their structural integrity. In addition, the
evidence suggests that many of these cylinders did not undergo the
complete series of safety tests and inspections required by the HMR and
may not possess the structural integrity to safely contain its contents
under pressure during normal transportation and use. Extensive property
damage, serious personal injury, or death could result from rupture of
a cylinder.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raymond L. LaMagdelaine, Chief Special
Investigations, Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement, Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 7th Street SW., Room 7104, Washington DC, 20590.
Telephone: (202) 366-4700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through its investigation, PHMSA and the OIG
believe that GCI manufactured, marked, certified and sold an
undetermined number of high-pressure carbon fiber wrapped cylinders
owned by commercial entities and the private consumer. Among others, we
believe many of these may be in use by paint ball enthusiasts. DOT
recommends that any person possessing a cylinder manufactured by Global
Composites International, Inc. (GCI) and marked with exemption number
DOT-E 12695 take the cylinder to a qualified refilling station and have
the pressure relieved from the cylinder. The cylinder is no longer
authorized for use. Refilling stations and cylinder requalification
facilities are advised that DOT-E 12695 has been suspended and these
cylinders may not be refilled or requalified for service.
This safety advisory covers all high-pressure DOT exemption
cylinders manufactured by Global Composites International, Inc. and
marked with DOT exemption number DOT-E 12695

[[Page 47274]]

These cylinders may pose a safety risk to the public and should be
considered unsafe for use in hazardous materials service. Furthermore,
cylinders described in this safety advisory should not be filled with a
hazardous material.

Issued in Washington, DC on August, 2005.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-16022 Filed 8-11-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-60-P

JoshK
08-22-2005, 11:04 AM
According to people on the Smart Parts forums this is the company that supplies for Crossfire.

Muzikman
08-22-2005, 11:05 AM
Thanks for the heads up.

AGDlover
08-22-2005, 11:07 AM
i'm all good here DOT-E11005

PRPB
08-22-2005, 11:10 AM
According to people on the Smart Parts forums this is the company that supplies for Crossfire.

I'm 99% positive that crossfire uses SCI. I have no idea where my tank is right now to check, but I'm sure it is.


Thanks for the heads up.

No Problem

JoshK
08-22-2005, 11:15 AM
Yeah I don't know. I was just told that on a different forum. It's just a possible additional heads up. I sure hope it's not crossfire that uses them.

ultralight
08-22-2005, 11:50 AM
my crossfire has a carleton tank. that is really pretty scary considering that most of the people who own those tanks probably don't know anything about that memo. i hope that it is sent to as many paintball fields as possible so that they can check the manufacture of the tanks before they fill them. then, again, i'm probably putting way too much faith in my local pb store clerk.

heres to hope :cheers:

Muzikman
08-22-2005, 11:59 AM
Hell, you are lucky if they check the date at the field.

barrel break
08-22-2005, 12:05 PM
Hurra for PMI! Just checked mine, and Carleton makes em.

ultralight
08-22-2005, 12:14 PM
Hell, you are lucky if they check the date at the field.



sad but true.

WenULiVeUdiE
08-22-2005, 01:01 PM
I am pretty sure MacDev uses GCI tanks in their LegionAir series.

scrumpy
08-22-2005, 01:10 PM
Thats scary stuff - I hope no one gets hurt by this but by the way it sounds someone eventually will. Needless to say I bolted up to my room when I read crossfire and GCI in the same sentence but I'm okay - SCI. Structural Composites Inc or Ind or something "I"

SpecialBlend2786
08-22-2005, 02:12 PM
the bottle on my dynaflow is a carleton, but i should probably check that NIB Throttle out too...

pointm@n
08-22-2005, 02:30 PM
Hmmm, I wonder if this guy who had a problem with his tank had a GCI or if it is even related. I was at PEVS yesterday and this father is unscrewing the tank from his kid's timmy. He keeps unscrewing and then we hear this gush of air and we all look over. I notice that the tank is unscrewing from the reg so I yell for him to stop. Luckily all the air vented slowly and it didn't turn into a bottle rocket. I told him to ge that looked at by the proshop before even thinking of filling it.

All my tanks are at home, so I'll check. Hopefully my crossfire tank is ok.

WenULiVeUdiE
08-22-2005, 02:41 PM
Well, it appears a friends tank is now useless. I am fairly certain it is only MacDev that uses these tanks. Most others use Carelton or Luxfur.

His hydrostatic test date is 12-04.

Mister Sinister
08-22-2005, 02:46 PM
Hmmm, I wonder if this guy who had a problem with his tank had a GCI or if it is even related. I was at PEVS yesterday and this father is unscrewing the tank from his kid's timmy. He keeps unscrewing and then we hear this gush of air and we all look over. I notice that the tank is unscrewing from the reg so I yell for him to stop. Luckily all the air vented slowly and it didn't turn into a bottle rocket. I told him to ge that looked at by the proshop before even thinking of filling it.

All my tanks are at home, so I'll check. Hopefully my crossfire tank is ok.


The statement from the government specified the tanks werent wrapped sufficently. I highly doubt that had anything to do with a problem of the tank unscrewing from the reg. Though i have never figured out why for as much as we screw tanks on and off no one has taken to left hand threading bottles onto regs so this doesnt happen.

Rick-USA
08-22-2005, 04:12 PM
The key in the whole statement isn't just the maker of the tanks. It's the exemption number that is decertified. Only those tanks are the problem it seems. Every tank out there be it an HPA or a CO2 tank has a DOT exemption number somewhere on the bottle.

As far as the reg unscrewing from the tank. This notice has nothing to do with that. It's more than likely due to improper assembly of the tank/reg somewhere along the way. I see a fair number of these type situations monthly at the field I frequent. Usually they are CO2 tanks but I've seen an HPA or two do it also. It usually happens after they've been recertified by someplace other than a Paintball proshop.

rkjunior303
08-22-2005, 04:24 PM
so, now the question that needs to be answered..

if one of our tanks falls under this, is it under the companies responsibility for replacing the bottle since it was sold as a 'defect' (or a recall).

68magOwner
08-22-2005, 04:38 PM
I'm 99% positive that crossfire uses SCI. I have no idea where my tank is right now to check, but I'm sure it is.

yeah, when i saw that crossifre remark, went to go check my tank, shure enough, its SCI

FallNAngel
08-22-2005, 08:22 PM
Though i have never figured out why for as much as we screw tanks on and off no one has taken to left hand threading bottles onto regs so this doesnt happen.

Well, then you'd just have the problem when people go to screw in their tanks... I think it'd be less *likely* to happen, but it could still happen.