More Nurse Tank Testing on the Horizon

The USDOT intends to propose rulemaking to require that all ammonia nurse tanks be tested once every five years.  The tests would be similar to those already being performed on tanks that are missing their data plates.  It would likely involve an external visual inspection, thickness test and pressure test.  Any welding must be performed by an R stamp welder (this is already the case) and a pressure test must follow any welded repair.  The reason for USDOT's insistence on nurse tank testing is that several tanks around the country have failed and most of them have data plates.  The current nurse tank testing program has also revealed that even good looking tanks sometimes don't pass the pressure test.  IFCA is working with The Fertilizer Institute to provide input into this proposed rulemaking process.