NEW – FEDERAL: Transport Canada reminds facilities that they must be registered to conduct thickness testing on highway and portable tanks

Transport Canada has issued an important bulletin regarding thickness testing on highway and portable tanks during CSA B620 inspections.

Note that this bulletin does not change the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations

It applies to anyone who conducts internal, external, and upper coupler area inspections of highway and portable tanks, as required in CSA B620.

Transport Canada recently found that some facilities are performing thickness testing for highway and portable tanks without permission. 

If you are registered to perform internal, external, or upper coupler area inspections and are registered to perform thickness testing on highway and portable tanks, as required in CSA B620, then there is no need to take any action.

Thickness testing
If you find corrosion or abrasions when inspecting a dangerous goods highway or portable tank, the material thickness in those areas must be checked to make sure that the minimum allowed thickness remains. If it does not, the tank will fail the test and inspection, and must be taken out of service until the issue is addressed.

According to CSA B620, measuring the tank thickness must be done by a facility registered by Transport Canada.

If you are not registered to perform thickness testing and uncover corrosions or abrasions as part of an internal, external, or upper coupler area inspection, then another registered facility must test those areas in order for you to complete your inspection.

Your quality control manual must also explain the process for these inspections.

If you want to perform thickness testing during an inspection but are not authorized, you must update your Transport Canada registration to include thickness testing.

Apply to perform thickness testing
Please contact Transport Canada to update your registration to add thickness testing.

When applying to add thickness testing to your registration, make sure your email to Engineering Services includes:

• A statement that you want to add thickness testing to your scope of work;
• Your facility registration number (for example, 25-xxxx);
• The make, model, accuracy, and serial number for the thickness testing device;
• The thickness testing procedure present in your quality control manual (this is required by clause 7.2.6 of CSA B620); and
• A sample thickness testing report, as required by clause 7.3 of CSA B620.

Important: Only send the documents requested above with your application. Please do not send a new application form or a copy of your quality control manual.

For any questions, please email TC’s Regulatory Frameworks and International Engagement Branch at: MOCRegister-RegistreContenant@tc.gc.ca or phone: 1-855-298-1520 (toll free).