CGA-580 Cylinder Connections
The Environmental Health and Radiation Safety/Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) department has just received a safety alert from Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., describing serious potential hazards associated with two specific lots of compressed gas cylinder valves. The affected valves are the "TV" series with CGA-580 cylinder connections. This is a standard connection used for argon, helium, nitrogen, and various non-flammable gas mixtures.

The valves have the connection number, CGA 580, and date code stamped onto the wrench flat of the valve body. The potentially impacted lots are identified by the date codes 48-99 and 03-00, found directly below the CGA 580 stamp. The valve supplier, Sherwood, Inc., has indicated that some cylinder valves in these lots may have received excessive torque to the bonnet during assembly, resulting in damaged threads. Several failures have been reported during cylinder filling, resulting in high pressure expulsion of the handwheel and bonnet assemblies, with sufficient force to cause injury and property damage. Air Products and Sherwood recommend that users of gas cylinders containing argon, helium, nitrogen, non-flammable gas mixtures, or any other cylinders equipped with valves marked with the CGA 580 connection check the valves for stampings that state "CGA 580 48-99" or "CGA 580 03-00." If any such cylinders are found, immediately mark it with a DO NOT USE tag.

IMPORTANT:
If the cylinder is already connected to a pressurized system with or without the valve open, DO NOT TOUCH THE CYLINDER OR CYLINDER VALVE!
Isolate the area and contact the Office of Environmental Health & Radiation Safety/Environmental Health & Safety (212)854-8749 (MS) and (212)305-6780 (CUMC) as soon as possible for assistance. Air Products will provide pick-up and replacement service for any affected cylinders.