The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Hey MrMrEZG and all,
I don't think it was Roakey that determined that tanks made with the 6351 alloy are safe and appropriate for use. PSI, Luxfer, CGA and OSHA all agree that they ARE safe if a conscientious yearly inspection is done to the inside neck area. An SLC will not become dangerous in a year or even three. It will evidence itself LOOOONG before it becomes a liability. However, vinyl coated steel tanks are FAR MORE LIKELY to pose a threat to a fill station operator and yet no one seems to care. Just ask the poor owner (or his wife) who died week before last, which one is more dangerous. I saw two at one of my LDS just today. I asked when the last time those were vised... one was two years out, the other was three. Both had rust under the vinyl and both had been already filled. The manager was indeed hot, but I feel he need look no further than himself. Sitting next to the front door was a Walter Kiddee tank that had been refused just because of its name. It was a year + out of vis, so we opened her up only to find a pristine tank... no evidence of a crack by vis OR by eddy current and no corrosion either. Now you tell me... did ignorance of what to look for keep the fill station attendant safe? Or was it just dumb luck?
All tanks are prone to failure, by corrosion, impact or SLC. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but she really goes out of her way to vent pressure! We have an agency that was created to deal with the misinformation out there and provide an 18-step method to systematically and properly inspect tanks. Roakey's point may not have been diplomatic, but it was valid. Don't let fear of the unknown make your decisions for you. On the other hand, don't let complacency catch you napping either. Each of these outlooks provides an erroneous view of reality. The truth will indeed set you free... myths can only protect you for so long.
I don't think it was Roakey that determined that tanks made with the 6351 alloy are safe and appropriate for use. PSI, Luxfer, CGA and OSHA all agree that they ARE safe if a conscientious yearly inspection is done to the inside neck area. An SLC will not become dangerous in a year or even three. It will evidence itself LOOOONG before it becomes a liability. However, vinyl coated steel tanks are FAR MORE LIKELY to pose a threat to a fill station operator and yet no one seems to care. Just ask the poor owner (or his wife) who died week before last, which one is more dangerous. I saw two at one of my LDS just today. I asked when the last time those were vised... one was two years out, the other was three. Both had rust under the vinyl and both had been already filled. The manager was indeed hot, but I feel he need look no further than himself. Sitting next to the front door was a Walter Kiddee tank that had been refused just because of its name. It was a year + out of vis, so we opened her up only to find a pristine tank... no evidence of a crack by vis OR by eddy current and no corrosion either. Now you tell me... did ignorance of what to look for keep the fill station attendant safe? Or was it just dumb luck?
All tanks are prone to failure, by corrosion, impact or SLC. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but she really goes out of her way to vent pressure! We have an agency that was created to deal with the misinformation out there and provide an 18-step method to systematically and properly inspect tanks. Roakey's point may not have been diplomatic, but it was valid. Don't let fear of the unknown make your decisions for you. On the other hand, don't let complacency catch you napping either. Each of these outlooks provides an erroneous view of reality. The truth will indeed set you free... myths can only protect you for so long.
