The general industry standard, 1910.106, Flammable Liquids, is complex and covers many work environments and situations. This fact sheet covers only the basic storage, transfer, and transport requirements. Rules for heavier industrial applications; underground storage facilities; and for building tanks, containers, and other specialized items are in the standard. All references in this fact sheet are to 1910.106 unless stated otherwise. Flammable liquids are divided into categories according to their flashpoints. The following table shows the categories for flammable liquids:
|
CATEGORY |
CATEGORY CRITERIA |
|
1 |
Flash point < 23°C (73.4°F) and initial boiling point ≤ 35°C (95°F) |
|
2 |
Flash point < 23°C (73.4°F) and initial boiling point > 35°C (95°F) |
|
3 |
Flash point ≥ 23°C (73.4°F) and ≤ 60°C (140°F) |
|
4 |
Flash point > 60°C (140°F) and ≤ 93°C (199.4°F) |
Knowing the category plays a role in how to store chemicals. This information may be on the safety data sheet (SDS).
Storage Requirements
Table H-12 in 1910.106 specifies maximum allowable sizes for various types of containers. Section 1910.106(d) (2)(iii) has provisions for glass or plastic containers of up to one-gallon capacity for a category 1 or 2 flammable liquid under specified conditions.
Container volume limits from 1910.106, Table H-12.
|
CONTAINER TYPE |
Category 1 |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
Category 4 |
|
Glass or approved plastic |
1 pint |
1 quart |
1 gallon |
1 gallon |
|
Metal (other than DOT drums) |
1 gallon |
5 gallon |
5 gallon |
5 gallon |
|
Safety cans |
2 gallon |
5 gallon |
5 gallon |
5 gallon |
|
Metal drums (DOT specifications) |
60 gallon |
60 gallon |
60 gallon |
60 gallon |
|
Approved portable tanks |
660 gallon |
660 gallon |
660 gallon |
660 gallon |
Storage cans: Use storage cans that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or a nationally recognized testing laboratory. They may be either metal or plastic and in quantities of five gallons or less.
Cabinets: Do not store more than 60 gallons of category 1, 2, or 3 liquids or more than 120 gallons of category 4 liquids in a storage cabinet. This includes aerosol cans. See additional requirements in (d)(3) of the standard. You must label cabinets “Flammable, Keep Fire Away.” Your state or local fire authority may limit you to three cabinets in each fire area. A fire area is a building or part of a building built with a fire rating of at least one hour and areas of pass-through to other parts of the building with fire ratings of at least one hour.
Inside buildings: Rules for storage of flammables inside buildings vary depending on the category of liquid, the type of building, type of occupancy, protection systems (fire sprinklers), types of containers, and other factors. See (d)(5).
|
INCIDENTAL INSIDE STORAGE |
INSIDE STORAGE ROOMS |
|
If you store or use flammable or combustible liquids that are incidental* to the work or process, the following quantities apply when the material (opened or unopened) is not in a specially built storage room or cabinet. See (e)(2). |
An inside storage room permits the storage of larger quantities of flammable liquids than other methods. Paragraph (d)(4) has specific requirements for the design and construction of inside storage rooms. It references NFPA standards that you must follow and talks about wiring, ventilation, and the ways to configure stored containers. |
|
Category 1= 25 total gallons in containers Category 2, 3, or 4= 120 total gallons in containers Category 2, 3, or 4= 660 total gallons in a single portable tank |
SOURCE: OR OSHA http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/pubs/fact_sheets/fs12.pdf