These liquids don’t burn or explode by themselves; however, heavier-than-air vapors from liquid evaporation tend to settle on the floor. These vapors can flow along the floor for long distances, ignite at some remote point and flash back. This is one reason why specially designed storage cabinets and rooms must be used for flammable liquids, such as paints, solvents and thinners.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 30, up to 15 gallons of flammable liquids must be stored in safety cans. Amounts from 15 to 60 gallons must be stored in a standard flammable liquid storage cabinet meeting the specifications of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 30. Flammable liquid storage cabinets, which can be found in any safety equipment/supply store, must adhere to the following guidelines:
1.
Do not store more than 60 gallons of flammable
2.
3 liquid per small containers in a flammable liquid storage cabinet.
Cabinets must be Underwriter Laboratory
(UL) approved.
. The cabinet top, doors and sides must be made of
18 U.S. gauge sheet steel and double walled with tight joints.
4.
The door must have a three point latch with a sill raised to at least 2 inches above the bottom of the cabinet to retain spilled liquids.
Also according to the NFPA Code 30, flammable liquids with flash points lower than 73 degrees F and in quantities greater than 60 gallons must be stored in a specially designed storage room. This room is designed to protect flammable liquids from fire exposures in other portions of the building and to contain fires that originate within the room.
L O W E R I N G R I S K , F O C U S E D O N T H E B O T T O M L I N E .
Page 1 of 2

Flammable liquid storage rooms must have the following features:
1.
Ideally, the room must be detached from the main building. The next best option is an attached room separated by a blank wall.
2.
The room must be ventilated for removal of vapors.
Ventilation must be either a gravity or mechanical exhaust ventilation system. The ventilation must be continuous, 24 hours a day, and a complete air change within the room must occur at least six times per hour. A gravity system has openings present at the top and bottom of the room which allow air to circulate in from the top and out at the bottom.
3.
Explosion-proof wiring is required. Class I, Division
2 wiring is required for rooms that store sealed containers. If dispensing or mixing takes place, the wiring must be Class I, Division 1.
4.
Ceilings, floors and walls must have a fire resistance rating of two hours. The door must be Class B, self-closing, and be fire rated for 1½ hours.
5.
Floors and wall edges that join the floor must be liquid tight.
6.
Raised sills of at least 4 inches in height must be present to prevent liquid from flowing to adjoining areas. A permissible alternative is an open-grated trench, which drains to a safe location, across the width of the opening inside of the room.
For more information about American Family’s Safety Consulting Services, visit www.amfam.com
DISCLAIMER
The recommendations printed here are from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 30. NFPA codes, standards, recommended practices and guides are developed through a consensus standards development process approved by the American National Standards Institute. This process brings together volunteers representing viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus on fire and other safety issues. NFPA standards and codes, which currently number 275, are widely used as the basis of legislation and regulation at local and national levels of government. However, compliance with these recommendations does not guarantee that you will be in conformance with any building code, or federal, state or local regulations regarding safety or fire. Compliance does not ensure the absolute safety of your home or place of business. It is the property owner’s duty to warn any tenants or occupants of the property about any safety hazards that may exist.
L O W E R I N G R I S K , F O C U S E D O N T H E B O T T O M L I N E .
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783
Page 2 of 2
ADS-18069 Rev 1/14