Ezel / Labor Guidance / US
Back to Federal guidance

MPS fuel-gas cylinders below ground

Summary A transit authority asked about stabilized methylacetylene-propadiene gas in below-ground construction. OSHA agreed with the proposed handling approach and added that only the day’s intended cylinders should be below ground. Gas welding and cutting could occur in confined areas under controlled conditions if the cylinders stayed outside.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1976-06-03
Date issued
June 3, 1976
Status
Active
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1926 Welding Confined Spaces
Source
View the official document

Apply this to your situation

This page explains the general guidance. Ask about your specific situation and see what current federal labor law says, with citations.

About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

June 3, 1976

Mr. Roy T. Dodge
Chief of Design
and Construction
Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Dodge:

This is in response to your letter of May 13, 1976 (copy enclosed), regarding the conclusion reached at our meeting of May 6, 1976, on the handling, storing, and using of Methlacetylene- Propadiene, Stabilized (MPS) gas in below ground-level construction work.

This office concurs with your understanding of the conclusions reached on the handling, storing, and use of MPS gas. In addition, the following comments are offered:

  1. The total number of MPS gas cylinders below ground on any given day shall be limited to that day's intended use.

  2. MPS fuel gas may be used under controlled conditions in gas welding and cutting in areas that may be defined as confined spaces, as long as the cylinders remain outside of the confined spaces.

  3. The above understanding is based on our interpretation of existing OSHA and national consensus standards.

If I may be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Donald A. Shay, Director
Office of Compliance Programming

Related guidance

Permanently labeled locks for electrical lockout Opinion Letter · August 17, 2026 Helmet selection for lateral head-impact hazards Opinion Letter · August 17, 2026 Asbestos precautions when restoring drywall after flood damage Opinion Letter · May 7, 2026 Enforcement policy for recording and reporting COVID-19 cases Guidance · March 31, 2026

What does federal law require in your situation?

Ezel checks current federal labor law against your facts and answers with citations.

Opens in Ezel Pro.

  • Checks the law as it stands today, not only this page
  • Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
  • Chat, drafting and research in one workspace