laws regarding cylinder transport

admin

I know you have to have the caps on when driving around but didn't they pass a law a few years ago that says they have to be vertical when mounted in a truck or trailer? I know you want the acetylene vertical bacause of the design of the cylinder but I am planning on building a small trailer for my welder and I would like to put the oxygen cylinder horizontal because if it is vertical I will have a hard time reaching the top of it.
Reply:install a fold down step to reach it
Reply:Oxygen will work fine in a horizontal position, just make damn sure it's securely clamped onto the rig and can't leave in a panic stop or colission.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:OK,HERE GOES.OSHA does NOT regulate cyl's on the road. That's up to the DOT swine. According to 49 cfr ch.1 subC part 177.840a(1) cyl's must be secure in a vertical or HORIZONTAL position . However, there is a size limit imposed on horiz. transp.. It was so obscure, I don't even remember where I found it. The limit I saw was 305 cu.in. of liquid measure. That is the federal standard that all state DOT's are guided by. Here's the kicker. Almost all DOT's from state to local, seem to have a " oneupsmanship " approach to all these regs. I tried to find out what TXDOT says with no joy. In TX., any vehicle that is one ton with dual rear wheels is considered commercial and is subject to random safety inspections on the road, though this rarely happens. If anyone reading this has ever pulled a bobcat or backhoe through San Antonio  you know what I'm talking about. If the DOT sees a violation, for instance a cyl. laid down in a trailer ??, they can act. Again, they rarely do.  I guess the best way to avoid trouble is to keep 'em upright and secure. I am a registered motor carrier and my info doesn't include any of this.  There is so much confusion about so many of the regs., it's usually better safe than sorry. ( Or broke from paying the tickets!!!! ) Sorry this is so wordy, but this is about 20+pages of gobbletygook all boiled down. All that said and I could still be wrong.