Gas cylinders — Valve protection caps and guards — Design, construction and tests

This document specifies the requirements for valve protection caps and valve guards used on cylinders for liquefied, dissolved or compressed gases.

Valve protection caps and valve guards are some of the options available to protect cylinder valves, including valves with integral pressure regulators (VIPRs) during transport.

This document is applicable to valve protection caps and valve guards which inherently provide the primary protection of a cylinder valve. It can also be used to test other equipment (e.g., handling devices) attached to cylinder packages, even in cases where the cylinder valve is inherently able to withstand damage without release of the content.

This document excludes protection devices for cylinders with a water capacity of 5 l or less and cylinders whereby the protection device is fixed by means of lugs welded or brazed to the cylinder, or is welded or brazed directly to the cylinder. This document does not cover valve protection for breathing apparatus cylinders.

NOTE Small cylinders (e.g., medical cylinders) are commonly transported in an outer-packaging (e.g., pallet) to meet transport regulations.

This document does not specify requirements that coul