Based on eight (8) recent enforcement investigations, conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement (OHME), this letter is intended to notify the industry of serious safety problems and non-compliance issues regarding the maintenance, filling, transport and use of nurse tanks in anhydrous ammonia service. PHMSA is greatly concerned with the lack of compliance and understanding of the minimum safety requirements for nurse tanks based on its investigations. PHMSA recognizes the breadth of the nurse tank industry. In order to magnify its safety and compliance efforts, PHMSA feels this letter will help increase awareness and provide a means of contact for questions about the prescribed safety requirements.
In all of the investigations, PHMSA Hazmat Investigators noted a similar pattern of non-compliance and safety problems. Click here to read a list of the areas of non-compliance and safety problems and to read the letter in its entirety.