Southland Equipment Service Inc. Has Found the Cost of Replacement Is Close to That to Recertify a Tank and Many Can Not Be without Their LP Tank While It Is Being Recertified
OSHA Requirements for Lift Truck Operator Training and Certification and that the training must include "hands-on" with the specific equipment used at the place of employment.
The majority of forklifts in use today are Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) powered there is a factor that many times gets overlooked, the LP Tank! At Southland Equipment Service Inc. we replace the o-rings and sometimes different valves but how many check the date of manufacture on the tank?
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 49, Section 180.209(g), 180.213 and 180.215 states the LP Tanks must be recertified 12 years from date of manufacture and shorter periods of time afterwards.
Southland Equipment Service Inc. has found the cost of replacement is close to that to recertify a tank and many can not be without their LP Tank while it is being recertified not to mention the liability one assumes when they opt to recertify over replace. It simply is not worth it.
LP Tanks come in a variety of sizes and styles for varying requirements. Most common are Steel and Aluminum in 33 lb. and 43 lb. sizes. Bigger units are simply too heavy to handle by most people and are attached to the forklift requiring they be filled at a refueling area in the facility it is used at.
Many gas companies offer an exchange program where they rotate out empty LP Tanks for filled ones and monitor and either recertify or replace tanks as needed. If an exchange program is not an option, Southland Equipment Service recommends that you institute a program to monitor LP Tanks and repair, recertify, or replace tanks as necessary.
Henry Richardson, Vice President of Southland Equipment Services recommends turning off LP Tanks on lift trucks if left over night or on the weekends as a leak from one of the many connections or seals between the tank and the engine can be catastrophic given the gas is heavier than air settling low to the ground making it hard to detect and can combust at the least spark in a clear blue flame many do not recognize until it is too late.
Contact us for any Safety or Material Handling concerns.
Henry W. Richardson
VP Marketing
Southland Equipment Service, Inc.
Ph (803) 783-1171
Cell (803) 309-5217
Fax (803) 783-2557
Sales@SouthlandSC.com
www.SouthlandSC.com
