New Editions of CSA B339, CSA B340, CSA B341 and CSA B342 Published

The Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) Technical Committee on Cylinders, Spheres, and Tubes for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods has published new editions of standards CSA B339, CSA B340, CSA B341 and CSA B342. 

The most notable changes that appear in the new editions of these standards are:

CSA B339 - Cylinders, spheres, and tubes for the transportation of dangerous goods

• Revised burst test requirements for specification TC-4LM containers
• Revised pressure-cycling test requirements for specification TC-4LM containers
• Revised requirements for the carbon fibre used in specification TC-3CCM cylinders
• Clarified requirements for the wall thickness calculation of specification TC-4BWM, TC-4BM, TC-4BAM, and TC-4AAM33 cylinders
• Revised requirements for ultrasonically inspecting the starting stock of specification TC-3ALM cylinders
• New provisions for requalifying seamless aluminum cylinders manufactured to grandfathered special permits and exemptions
• Revised requirements for requalifying foreign specification containers other than those already addressed by CSA B339 and CSA B341

CSA B340 - Selection and use of cylinders, spheres, tubes, and other containers for the transportation of dangerous goods, Class 2

• New provisions to authorize the use of specification U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) containers
• New provisions to authorize the use of containers manufactured in accordance with grandfathered U.S. DOT special permits and exemptions
• New provisions allowing containers to be requalified, repaired, reheat treated and rebuilt in accordance with the U.S. DOT’s 49 CFR outside of Canada
• New provisions for vacuum-insulated closed containers for helium refrigerated liquid

CSA B341 - UN pressure receptacles and multiple-element gas containers for the transport of dangerous goods

• Alignment with the 19th edition of the UN Model Regulations:
  • New reference to ISO 3807:2013 “Gas cylinders — Acetylene cylinders — Basic requirements and type testing”
  • New reference to ISO 11515:2013 “Gas cylinders — Refillable composite reinforced tubes of water capacity between 450 L and 3000 L — Design, construction, and testing”

CSA B342 - Selection and use of UN pressure receptacles and multiple-element gas containers for the transport of dangerous goods, Class 2

• Alignment with the 19th edition of the UN Model Regulations:
  • New reference to ISO 3807:2013 “Gas cylinders — Acetylene cylinders — Basic requirements and type testing”
  • New reference to ISO 11515:2013 “Gas cylinders — Refillable composite reinforced tubes of water capacity between 450 L and 3000 L — Design, construction, and testing”
  • New reference to ISO 10297:2014 “Gas cylinders — Cylinder valves — Specification and type testing”
  • New provisions for liquefied gases charged with compressed gases
  • New provisions for liquids charged with compressed gases
• New provisions allowing UN pressure receptacles to be repaired in accordance with the U.S. DOT’s 49 CFR outside of Canada
• New provisions allowing the use of multiple-element gas containers that comply with the U.S. DOT’s 49 CFR
• New provisions allowing multiple-element gas containers to be periodically inspected and tested and repaired in accordance with the U.S. DOT’s 49 CFR outside of Canada

In accordance with Section 1.3.2 of the TDG Regulations, these newly published standards come into force on December 31, 2018, however, members may begin transitioning to these new standards at any time before this date. 

CPA members may purchase these standards directly from the CSA Group by telephone at 1-800-463-6727 or on the CSA website. The CSA Group also offers an online platform that allows registered users free access to the new editions of CSA B339, CSA B340, CSA B341, and CSA B342 and to other Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) safety standards published by the CSA Group referenced in federal TDG regulations. Users can log into Communities of Interest and register to find the TDG View Access site here.

Any questions regarding the new editions of CSA B339, CSA B340, CSA B341 and CSA B342 can be forwarded to tdgcontainers-tmdcontenants@tc.gc.ca.