Sec. 7306. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR TOP FITTINGS PROTECTION FOR CLASS DOT-117R TANK CARS

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## SEC. 7306 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR TOP FITTINGS PROTECTION FOR CLASS DOT-117R TANK CARS ###

(a)Protective Housing Except as provided in subsections

(b)and (c), top fittings on DOT specification 117R tank cars shall be located inside a protective housing not less than ½-inch in thickness and constructed of a material having a tensile strength not less than 65 kilopound per square inch and conform to the following specifications: ####

(1)The protective housing shall be as tall as the tallest valve or fitting involved and the height of a valve or fitting within the protective housing must be kept to the minimum compatible with their proper operation. ####

(2)The protective housing or cover may not reduce the flow capacity of the pressure relief device below the minimum required. ####

(3)The protective housing shall provide a means of drainage with a minimum flow area equivalent to six 1-inch diameter holes. ####

(4)When connected to the nozzle or fittings cover plate and subject to a horizontal force applied perpendicular to and uniformly over the projected plane of the protective housing, the tensile connection strength of the protective housing shall be designed to be— #####

(A)no greater than 70 percent of the nozzle to tank tensile connection strength; #####

(B)no greater than 70 percent of the cover plate to nozzle connection strength; and #####

(C)no less than either 40 percent of the nozzle to tank tensile connection strength or the shear strength of twenty ½-inch bolts. ###

(b)Pressure Relief Devices ####

(1)The pressure relief device shall be located inside the protective housing, unless space does not permit. If multiple pressure relief devices are equipped, no more than 1 may be located outside of a protective housing. ####

(2)The highest point on any pressure relief device located outside of a protective housing may not be more than 12 inches above the tank jacket. ####

(3)The highest point on the closure of any unused pressure relief device nozzle may not be more than 6 inches above the tank jacket. ###

(c)Alternative Protection As an alternative to the protective housing requirements in subsection

(a)of this section, the tank car may be equipped with a system that prevents the release of product from any top fitting in the case of an incident where any top fitting would be sheared off. ###

(d)Implementation Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the Secretary to issue regulations to implement this section. ###

(e)Savings Clause Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Secretary from approving new technologies, methods or requirements that provide a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety provided for in this section.