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OSHA Flammable Storage Procedures

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, regulates the storage of flammable liquids to minimize the risk of chemical fires. Using these regulations and understanding why and how flammable liquids can be dangerous both at home and in the work place is important. Safely using them is more than just managing how you use them. You have to manage how you store them as well. When a flammable liquid reaches a certain temperature, called a flashpoint, vapor from the liquid can easily catch fire in the air if an ignition source is introduced.

  1. Flammable Liquids

    • Many work environments use flammable liquids, including factories, chemical labs, schools, and hospitals. A flammable liquid is one that has a flashpoint below 100 degrees F. Each flammable liquid receives a designated class from the National Fire Protection Association. Class IA liquids have a flashpoint below 73 degrees and a boiling point below 100. Class IB indicates a flashpoint above 73 and a boiling point at or above 100 degrees. Class IC liquids have a flashpoint above 73 and below 100 degrees.

    Containers

    • Storing flammable liquids in certain types of containers helps reduce the risk of vapors escaping and becoming a fire hazard. OSHA-regulated containers include glass or approved plastic, metal, safety cans, approved portable tanks and Department of Transportation approved metal drums. The only exceptions to the type of containers allowed for storage are medicines, cosmetics, foodstuffs and beverages. Containers may not be stacked unless specifically designed to do so and their positioning in the work environment must leave an aisle at least 3 feet wide.

    Quantity

    • OSHA regulates the amount of flammable liquids a workplace may store. In industrial work environments and for transport, the amount flammable liquids allowed in portable storage or tanks is up to 660 gallons in one tank. In multiple containers, 120 gallons can be stored with the exception of Class IA liquids, which can only be kept up to 25 gallons. In small work environments like laboratories, up to 10 gallons of flammable liquids can be kept per square foot. This number decreases to 5 gallons if the fire protection system has resistance rating (the amount of time the system can resist a fire) of 1 hour or less and as little as 2 gallons per square foot if the work environment does not have a fire protection system.

    Cabinets

    • Cabinets holding flammable liquids may not exceed 60 gallons in any one cabinet. Storage cabinets can be made from wood or metal, but in all cases they must be clearly labeled across the front with the words "Flammable - Keep Fire Away." All cabinets must be able to pass a 10-minute fire test that shows the internal temperature stays below 325 degrees F. Wooden cabinets have to use approved-grade plywood over 1 inch thick and metal cabinets have to be double walled and use an iron sheet greater than an 18 gauge.

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