By: Anil Lal, Director of Engineering and Regulatory Affairs
Monitoring and shaping regulations are core to CGA’s mission. Many CGA standards are incorporated by reference in the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), so regulatory updates directly affect our members’ businesses and the safety of the industry.
How we track changes
CGA staff continuously monitor regulatory activity in North America, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transport Canada (TC). When staff or members flag an issue, we review it through our committee-based process and, when needed, develop and submit comments through the appropriate channels.
What changed this year
Earlier this year, DOT issued several Advanced Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRMs) with potential impacts across multiple sectors, including industrial and medical gases. Topics relevant to our members included, for example:
- Treatment of hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipelines following incidents
- Proposed updates to retest criteria for certain aluminum cylinders
- Incorporation of a special permit for ultrasonic examination of cylinders into the regulations
Because these notices are broad and technical, CGA focused on identifying the implications specific to our industry.
How CGA responded
To meet agency timelines and provide detailed, technically sound feedback, CGA convened two Expedited Work Process (EWP) committees made up of members and subject-matter experts best suited to review each proposal.
- Process: The EWPs met throughout the summer, evaluated data and operational experience, and developed consensus positions to support safety, practicality, and regulatory clarity.
- Governance: CGA technical managers led the work and advanced the recommendations for Standards Council approval.
- Outcome: CGA submitted consolidated comments to DOT on schedule.
What’s next
We will monitor DOT’s responses and any subsequent rulemaking steps, and we’ll re-engage committees as needed to refine positions or develop additional comments. CGA will keep members informed through Regulatory Alerts and committee communications.
Get involved: Members interested in contributing to future regulatory reviews should contact us or join the relevant CGA committees.
About The Compressed Gas Association (CGA)
CGA is the leading authority on safety standards for industrial, medical, food, and specialty gases and equipment. Since 1913, CGA has developed nearly 500 globally recognized standards, trusted by ISO, NFPA, the United Nations, and regulatory bodies worldwide. Representing members who support over 34,000 U.S. jobs and contribute more than $10 billion to the American economy, CGA advances safety, drives innovation, and fosters professional development across the compressed gas industry.