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Flammable Liquids - Requirements for Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids

Storage Requirements
  1. Flammable and/or combustible liquids stored in the open in a laboratory work area or inside any building shall be kept to the minimum necessary for the work being done.
  2. Maximum quantity permitted in labs and other areas of use is limited to a total of 10 gallons, all classifications combined, outside of a flammable storage cabinet or approved flammable storage room. Please refer to Table 1.
  3. Quantities stored in flammable storage cabinets shall be limited to 60 gallons of class I or II liquids and the total of all liquids shall not exceed 120 gallons. Please refer to Table 1 for maximum allowable container size for each class. Not more than three cabinets shall be located in the same room.
  4. Quantities exceeding the above must be stored in an approved flammable storage room meeting the requirements of the International Building and Fire Codes.
  5. Flammable and combustible liquids shall not be stored near exit doorways, stairways, in exit corridors, or in a location that would impede egress from the building.
  6. Flammable aerosols and unstable liquids shall be treated as class I-A liquids. Please refer to Table 1.
  7. Materials which will react with water or other liquids to produce a hazard shall be segregated from flammable and/or combustible liquids.
Handling and Dispensing
  1. Class I liquids shall not be transferred from one vessel to another in any exit passageway.
  2. Transfer of flammable liquids from 5 gallon containers (or less) to smaller containers shall be done in a laboratory fume hood or in an approved flammable liquid storage room.

TABLE 1
CLASS

IA

IB

IC

II
Flash point less than 73F less than 73F 73 - 100 F 100 - 140F
Boiling point less than 100F greater than 100F    
Flammability Potential Extremely High Very High High Moderate
EXAMPLES OF COMMONLY USED MATERIALS acetaldehyde

benzoyl peroxide

ethyl ether

pentane

methyl formate

 acetone

ethanol

butylamine

gasoline

methanol

isopropanol

 amyl acetate

butanol

chlorobenzene

turpentine

xylene

 formaldehyde

hydrazine

kerosene
NFPA 704 HAZARD RATINGS*
MAXIMUM CONTAINER SIZE

Glass

 1 pint

(500 ml)

 1 quart

( 1 liter)

1 gallon

( 4 liters)

 1 gallon

(4 liters)

Metal or approved plastic 1 gallon 5 gallons 5 gallons 5 gallons
Safety cans 2 gallons 5 gallons 5 gallons 5 gallons
Metal drums (DOT) N/A 5 gallons 5 gallons 60 gallons

* NFPA is the acronym for the National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 704, Standard System for the Identification of the Fire Hazards of Materials, provides planning guidance to fire departments for safe tactical procedures in emergency operations, and gives on-the-spot information to safeguard the lives of fire fighting personnel and the others who may be exposed. The Hazard Identification System is not intended to identify the nonemergency health hazards of chemicals.

02/15/02