CVFD Training – Inspection
Practices
SFFMA Training Objectives:
11-01.01 – 11-01.04
CHAPTER 1
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Introduction
Authority
Public and private sector Inspector’s legal status
Police power
Liability incurred as a result of authority
Outside technical assistance
Right of entry
Modification of requirements, appeals procedures, and
judicial review
• Enforcement procedures
INTRODUCTION
Fire Prevention inspections are the
single most important nonemergency
activity performed by the fire service
INSPECTOR’S QUALITIES
• Inspectors must have a great deal of
knowledge regarding fire safety and building
codes
• Versatile personality-dealing with a wide
variety of people
• Good written and oral communications skills
INSPECTORS MUST HAVE THOROUGH
KNOWLEDGE OF
• Statutes that create their position
• Statutes that requires fire prevention activities
• Laws, codes, and ordinances that establish a
fire Inspector’s duties and responsibilities
• The edition of the code being used and when
it was adopted
• The appeals process
• Ways that laws or statutes can be changed
AUTHORITY
• Inspectors must know liabilities inherent in
being public officers or employees
• Inspectors must know the limits and scope of
their authority as fire Inspectors
POLICE POWER
• Inspectors have power to issue citations
• Inspectors have power to shut down a
business
• Inspectors have power to issue inspection
warrants
• Inspectors have no power to arrest an
individual
• Inspectors will call police or an Arson
Investigator to obtain identification if needed
PRIVATE SECTOR INSPECTOR’S LEGAL
STATUS
• Private company Inspector-Safety Officer
• Insurance company Inspector-targets property
preservations versus life safety concerns
LIABILITY INCURRED AS A RESULT OF
AUTHORITY
• The lines of liability may be established by
state and or local statutes
• In general, fire Inspectors are not held liable
for discretionary acts
• Fire Inspectors may be held liable for
ministerial actions
• Limits of liability to the jurisdiction must be
adopted by the authority having jurisdiction
INSPECTORS LIABILITIES (cont.)
• Special duty
• Duty to inspect
• Civil rights-high priced, high profile affairs
PREVENTION OF LIABILITY
• Periodic training is necessary to renew skills
and knowledge-codes always changing
• Inspectors should conduct fewer, but more
thorough, inspections
• Conduct quality re-inspections in a timely
manner
OUTSIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
• Fire Protection Engineer
• Architects and Designers
• Technicians (alarm, sprinkler, emergency
generators, etc.)
RIGHT OF ENTRY
• The right to enter a property to inspect for code compliance is
essential in order for fire Inspectors to fulfill their duties
• The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that property owners have
the right to refuse admittance to an Inspector unless a
warrant is obtained
• Where no known or suspected fire hazard exists, insisting on
making an inspection in a dwelling is generally considered to
be an unreasonable search
• To insist on gaining entry to a commercial property without a
warrant violates the fourth and fourteenth Amendments to
the U.S. Constitution
RIGHT OF ENTRY (cont.)
• Most of the model codes that a jurisdiction
may adopt have language in them regarding
right of entry
• The Fire Inspector must understand the
process for obtaining a search warrant
• Any form that is developed by the fire
department for obtaining information for a
search warrant should be approved by the
jurisdiction’s counsel
MODIFICATIONS OF
REQUIREMENTS
• Requests to modify the code generally involve the property
owner’s desire to use alternative materials, products, or
systems to meet the intent of the code
• The modification must meet or surpass the level of protection
provide in the code
• In most jurisdictions, fire Inspectors have little authority to
approve modification of code requirements
• Most interpretations are from a superior inspection bureau
officer, a fire protection engineer on staff, a fire protection
consultant, or an appeals board
MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS
(cont.)
• To receive consideration for a code
modification, the applicant must generally
make a formal written request to the
authority having jurisdiction
• If the applicant feels the decision is unfair, the
individual can file an appeal
APPEALS PROCEDURES
• Most codes establish an appeals procedure with a Board of
Appeals to interpret the code and issue a ruling
• The Board of Appeals usually consists of three to seven
members
• A one-time variance means the decision is binding for this
particular circumstance and may not be directly applied to
other similar situations
• If the Board of Appeals rules that the code is too vague for
enforcement, the fire Inspectors must take steps to ensure
that the vagueness in the code is removed
• A period of seven days from the time of the inspection is a
common figure for an appeal
APPEALS PROCEDURE (cont.)
• Inspection made
• Occupant appeals to Fire Prevention Board
Officer
• Decision made-Occupant agrees or disagrees
• Appeals to the Fire Chief
• Decision made-Occupant agrees or disagrees
• Appeals to the Appeals Board-Final decision
made
INSPECTION BENEFITS AND
ADVANTAGES
• Make Firefighters aware of potential hazards
• Provides information to the building
occupants and owners
INSPECTION PROCEDURES
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Preparing for an inspection
Scheduling an inspection
Introduction
Conducting the inspection
Final interview
Follow-up
Inspection report and map
PREPARING FOR AN INSPECTION
• The preparation phase is one of the most important parts of
the inspection process
• The preparation phase begins by scheduling the inspection
• Use common sense in the manner in which inspections are
scheduled
• Schedule inspections in general area
• Review previous inspection reports for that particular facility
• Be knowledgeable of the code for that occupancy type
• Make sure all tools and equipment is in the car and ready
CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION
• The first step in conducting an inspection is arriving at the
scheduled time
• Inspect the occupancies during normal business hours
(nightclubs, restaurants, schools, etc.)
• Observe exterior of the structure before entering
• Enter business through the main public entrance
• Contact the person you made the appointment with
• If a surprise inspection, ask for highest ranking employee
• Give a short briefing describing the inspection process
CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION
(cont.)
• Make sure the representative has keys to all doors, even the
MYSTERY DOORS
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Never conduct an inspection by yourself
Conduct the inspection in a systematic approach
Start with the exterior
Three common methods for performing an inspection
Do not demand entry to a locked door-move on and document
Take photographs of violations and when in compliance-they make for
great evidence in court –
I’VE NEVER LOST ONE
YET
CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION
(cont.)
• Use inspection form or a checklist - this is a
must
• Always document the important information,
will be very valuable back at the office
• For most routine inspections, a well
completed inspection form, along with
appropriate drawings and sketches, will be the
only documentation need to record the
inspection
FINAL INTERVIEW
• Upon completion of the inspection, conduct a
final interview with the person in CHARGE of
the property
• Note good conditions as well as violations
• Try to sell the inspection report as a positive
• Avoid confrontations and hostility
• Always thank the owner for his/her time
• Inform the owner of the re-inspection date if
possible
INSPECTION DRAWINGS
• Field Sketch-rough drawing of the building
made during the inspection
• The field sketch should have all hazards and
their locations specifically noted
• The field sketch is used to make the final
inspection drawing
• There are three types of drawings used to
show building information, plot plan, floor
plan, elevation view
INSPECTION DRAWINGS (cont.)
• The plot plan is used to indicate how the building is situated
with respect to other buildings and streets in the area
• The floor plan shows the layout of the individual floors and
the roof
• Most of the building detail can be shown on the floor plan
• The elevation drawing is used to show both the number of
floors in the building and the grade around the building
• Some agencies also prefer to attach the original field sketches
to the final drawing that will be filed
WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS
• Fire Inspectors must record every fire inspection
• Formal letter or report-life-threatening hazards, major
renovations, extensive list of minor violations
• The report should be based on facts, not opinions
• The report may be sent by registered mail or in person
• Most reports are computer generated-stored in electronic
form
• It is important that you generate a letter or report that is well
written, clean, and businesslike
• In general, it is preferable that the report be typewritten or
computer generated
WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS
(cont.)
• Basic writing techniques include:
– Use of complete sentences
– Proper grammar
– Appropriate use of words
WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS
(cont.)
• Two methods to overcome problem areas of
report writing are:
– Practice writing skills
– Have a second person proofread the report
WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS
(cont.)
• Basic writing techniques include: 1. Use of
complete sentences 2. Proper grammar 3.
Appropriate use of words
• Two methods to overcome problem areas of
report writing are: 1. Practice writing skills 2.
Have a second person proofread the report
• Written communications are an integral part
of a fire Inspector’s everyday activity, so it is
crucial that clear and effective
communications become second nature
FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS
• Follow-up inspections are made to ensure that the
recommendations made in the inspection report have been
followed
• Schedule a re-inspection date when report is delivered or
mailed
• Only violation areas are re-inspected
• Compliment the owner if all violations are corrected-send a
follow-up letter stating same
• If some hazards remain, schedule another re-inspection and
compliment the owner for the violations corrected so far
FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS (cont.)
• If the hazards have not been corrected, and no
effort has been shown, issue a final notice
with a date for another re-inspection
• The final notice should inform the owner what
legal action will be taken if full compliance is
not attained by the date specified
MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS
• One of the most crucial functions carried out by any fire
prevention bureau or division is that of maintaining accurate
files and records of all occupancies they are responsible for
inspecting
• It is most desirable to maintain files for all properties
(excluding one and two family residences) within the
jurisdiction
• It is recommended that records be maintained on a building
for the entire life of that building
• All files and records maintained by the fire prevention bureau
are considered public domain documents (Open Records Act)
MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS
(cont.)
• Some agencies that have computerized their inspection
documentation process have also chosen to print hard copies
of the information and maintain them in a written file
• Each inspected property should have a file that contains
copies of all building and inspection records for that property
• The most reliable method of cataloging inspection records is
by the building’s street address
• Large jurisdiction’s may have whole rooms dedicated to file
storage
MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS
(cont.)
• There are two primary methods by which data
may be logged into the computer system:
– Inspectors use laptop computers or handheld
electronic data recording equipment (the more
efficient of the two)
– Inspectors use written forms to record the
information while performing the inspection and
then manually enter the information into the
computer system upon returning to the office
FIRE FIGHTER 1
INSPECTIONS
SECTION 112
Principles of Combustion
• Fire is actually a by-product of a larger process
called combustion
• Combustion is the self-sustaining process of
rapid oxidation of a fuel, which produces heat
and light
• Fire is the result of a rapid combustion
reaction.
• An example of very slow oxidation is rusting
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• The fire triangle illustrates that oxygen, fuel,
and heat in certain proportions create a fire;
that if any of the three elements is removed, a
fire cannot exist
• The fire tetrahedron illustrates that fuel, heat,
oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction is
required to continue flaming combustion
• Heat is a form of energy that may be
described as a condition of “matter in motion”
caused by the movement of molecules
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• The five general categories of heat energy are
as follows: chemical, electrical, mechanical,
nuclear, and solar
• Spontaneous heating is the heating of an
organic substance without the addition of
external heat
• The three main phases of fire are: incipient,
steady-state burning phase, hot-smoldering
phase
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Incipient phase-is the earliest phase of a fire,
temperatures around 1000 degrees. Rollover,
sometimes referred to as flameover, takes
place when unburned combustible gases
accumulate at the ceiling level.
• Steady State Burning Phase-total involvement
phase, temperatures around 1300 degrees.
Flashover occurs during this phase,
simultaneous ignition of all combustibles in
the room.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Hot-Smoldering Phase-oxygen below 15%.
Temperatures may be around the 1000degree
range. A backdraft may occur when oxygen is
improperly introduced into a hot-smoldering
phase fire.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Heat can travel throughout a burning building
by one or more of three methods:
a. Conduction-direct contact
b. Convection-transfer of heat by movement
of air
c. Radiation-radiation of heat waves.
Radiation is the most common form of heat
associated with fire spread to exposures
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Fire resistance-is defined as the ability of a
structural assembly to maintain its loadbearing ability under fire conditions.
• Fire-resistive rating-is the period of time that
the assembly will perform satisfactorily when
exposed to the standard test fire.
• A critical factor in overall building fire safety is
the combustibility of the materials used for
the interior finish.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• The most widely used and recognized test for
determining the surface burning
characteristics of interior finishes is the
Steiner Tunnel Test.
• Fire Load-is defined as the maximum heat that
can be produced if all the combustible
materials in a given area burn.
• A Fire Wall-is a wall with a specified degree of
fire resistance that is designed to prevent the
spread of fire within a structure or between
structures.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Fire doors-are doors within a fire wall. They
must be labeled as such. The labels are
commonly found on the edge of the door.
• A fire door assembly includes the door, the
door frame, the door closing and latching
hardware, and other accessories.
• Smoke and heat vents-are for the removal of
smoke, heat, and toxic gases produced in a fire
situation. They are frequently the determining
factor in successful fire control operations.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• A Fire damper-is a device that automatically
interrupts air flow through all or part of an air
handling system.
• A Smoke damper- is a device that restricts the
passage of smoke in an air handling system.
• Flammable Decorations-a common fire
protection consideration encountered by fire
inspectors is the issue of flammable
decorations in a particular occupancy.
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• Permanent decorations are typically found in
places such as churches, nightclubs,
restaurants, and theaters.
• Temporary decorations are commonly found
in stores, schools, and college fraternity and
sorority houses.
• Major fires directly related to improper
decorations-Beverly Hills Supper Club,
Coconut Grove Nightclub
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• If the occupant wishes to use a decorative
material that is inherently flammable, such as
wood, cardboard, cloth, straw, etc. he should
be required by the code used in that
jurisdiction to use material that has been
appropriately treated to be fire retardant.
• There are four basic methods for making a
material fire retardant-chemical changes,
impregnation, pressure impregnation, coating
Principles of Combustion Cont.
• If there is any question about the flammability
of a material encountered by the fire
inspector, a Field Test may be performed to
determine if an immediate hazard exists.
Fire Hazard Recognition
• Historically, electricity has always been a
common cause of fires
• Most electrical fires are caused by either arcs
or overheating
• Electricity involves the transfer or movement
of electrons between atoms
• An electrical flow is measured by quantity,
pressure, and resistance
Fire Hazard Recognition Cont.
• The quantity of electricity is expressed in
terms of amperes (amps)
• Electrical pressure is termed voltage (volts)
• Resistance in an electrical circuit is ohms
• Four common causes of electrical fires are:
• a. old or worn electrical equipment
• b. improper use of electrical equipment
• c. defective electrical installations
• d. accidental causes
Fire Hazard Recognition Cont.
• Static electricity refers to the presence of a
nonflowing electrical charge that may develop
on almost any surface
OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
• Two of the most basic pieces of information
that a Fire Inspector must know when
preparing to inspect a building are:
1. How it is constructed
2. What is it used for
OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
(CONT)
• The Fire Inspector must have a thorough
understanding of the construction and
occupancy classifications so that he will apply
the proper code requirements to the building
being inspected
OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION
(cont)
• Occupancy classification can be defined as the
use to which owners or tenants put all or a
portion of a building
BOARD OF COORDINATION OF
MODEL CODES (BCMC)
• A group comprised of three of the four model
codes for consistency in occupancy
classifications
NFPA 101, LIFE SAFETY CODE
• NFPA 101 contains nine basic occupancy classifications that
structures may fall under. They are:
1. Places of Assembly
2. Educational Occupancies
3. Health Care Occupancies
4. Detention and Correctional
5. Residential Occupancies
6. Mercantile Occupancies
7. Business Occupancies
8. Industrial Occupancies
9. Storage Occupancies
PLACES OF ASSEMBLY
• Class A-Facilities capable of handling 1000
persons or more
• Class B-Facilities capable of handling 300 to
1000 persons
• Class C- Facilities capable of handling 50 to
300 persons
PLACES OF ASSEMBLY (cont)
Examples of places of Assembly
• Auditoriums
• Libraries
• Bowling Alleys
• Passenger stations (bus, train, airports)
• Restaurants
• Dance Halls
• Theaters
• College/University classrooms
EDUCATIONAL OCCUPANCIES
• Include all buildings used for educational
purposes up through the 12th grade by six or
more persons, four hours per day or more
than twelve hours per week
HEALTH CARE OCCUPANCIES
• Included in this classification are hospitals,
nursing homes, residential custodial care
facilities, and ambulatory health care facilities
DETENTION AND CORRECTIONAL
OCCUPANCIES
• Provides sleeping facilities for four or more
residents and are occupied by persons who
are generally prevented from protecting
themselves because of security measures not
under their control
1.Jails and prisons
2.Detention centers
3.Adult and juvenile substance abuse centers
4.Juvenile detention and training facilities
RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCIES
• Sleeping accommodations are provided for normal residential
purposes and include all buildings that are designed to
provide sleeping accommodations
1. Hotel
2. Apartments
3. Dormitories
4. Lodging and rooming facilities
5. Board and care facilities
6. Single and two family dwellings
MERCANTILE OCCUPANCIES
• Include stores, markets, and other rooms,
buildings, or structures used to display and
sell merchandise
1.Supermarkets
2.Department stores
3.Pharmacies
4.Shopping centers
BUSINESS OCCUPANCIES
• Used for transacting business (other than those covered
under mercantile occupancies), for keeping accounts and
records, or other similar purposes
1. Doctor’s and dentist’s office
2. General and government offices
3. City Hall, Courthouses
4. College classroom buildings with rooms for less than 50
people
5. Instructional laboratories
STORAGE OCCUPANCIES
• Include warehouses, mini-storage facilities,
cold storage warehouses, freight terminals,
truck and marine terminals, bulk petroleum
storage facilities, parking garages, and barns
MIXED OCCUPANCIES
• Buildings that have two or more very different
types of operations within them
• The most restrictive life safety requirements of
the occupancies involved will be enforced in
these situations
1.High school with an auditorium
2.Large commercial printing operation that has
bulk paper storage
INDUSTRIAL OCCUPANCIES
• Include factories making products of all kinds
and properties devoted to such operations as
processing, assembly, mixing, packaging,
finishing, decorating, and repairing
1.All factories, Dry-cleaning plants
2.Food-processing plants
3.Power plants, refineries, saw mills, telephone
exchanges, aircraft hangars
MEANS OF EGRESS
• The Life Safety Code and the three model
building codes all define a means of egress as
a
“CONTINUOUS AND UNOBSTRUCTED WAY OF
EXIT TRAVEL FROM ANY POINT IN A BUILDING
TO A PUBLIC WAY”
MEANS OF EGRESS (cont)
• A public way is a street, alley, or similar parcel
of land essentially open to the outside and
which is used by the public
• All the codes specify that a public way should
have a width and height of at least ten (10)
feet
MEANS OF EGRESS COMPONENTS
• A means of egress consists of three distinct
components:
1. Exit Access
2. Exit
3. Exit discharge
MEANS OF EGRESS COMPONENTS
(cont)
• The exit access is that means of egress that
leads to the exit
1. Hallways
2. Corridors
3. Aisles
MEANS OF EGRESS COMPONENTS
(cont)
• The exit is the portion of a means of egress
that is separated from the area of the building
from which escape is to be made by walls,
floors, doors, or other means that provide the
protected path necessary for the occupants to
proceed with reasonable safety to the exterior
of the building
1. Doors
2. Interior and exterior stairs or ramps
MEANS OF EGRESS COMPONENTS
(cont)
• The exit discharge is that portion of a means
of egress that is between the end of an exit
and a public way
1. Alley
2. Street
OCCUPANT LOAD
• The occupant load is the total number of
persons who may occupy a building or portion
thereof at any one time
• The occupant load for a building or room
should be established during the plans review
process
• The primary method for determining occupant
load is the same for all the model codes
OCCUPANT LOAD (cont)
• The occupant load is determined by dividing
the area of the building by the maximum floor
area allowance per occupant or fixed seat
(occupant load factor)
• The occupant load factor varies with each
occupancy type
FIRE LOAD
• Fire load is defined as the maximum heat that
can be produced if all the combustible
materials in a given area burn
• In a normal building, the fire load is calculated
for the following:
1. Structural components
2. Interior finish/floor finish
3. Combustible contents
FIRE LOAD (cont)
• Historically, fire loading characteristics have
been based on a system that was developed
by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards
(NBS)
COMMON CAUSES OF FIRE
• Housekeeping Practices
1. Does the occupant use ash trays for smoking
2. Are lighters and matches kept out of the
reach of children
3. Are open flame items (candles) used safely
4. Are exhaust and dryer vents cleaned
regularly of lint
ELECTRICAL SOURCES OF IGNITION
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Old, frayed, or exposed wiring
Improperly installed electrical conductors
Unprotected light bulbs
Exhaust fans encrusted with dust and dirt
OPEN BURNING
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Trash in piles or barrels
Piles of leaves
Bonfires and campfires
Prescribed burns of wildland or agricultural
land
OPEN BURNING (cont)
• Many local municipalities as well as some
county and state governments, enact
regulations to control open burning within
their jurisdictions
1. Occupant shall obtain a burn permit
2. Fire Inspector must visit the site prior to
burning
OPEN BURNING (cont)
• Some guidelines for open burning
1. Fires shall be at least 50 feet from any
structure
2. Fires in approved burn containers-25 feet
from a structure
3. Fire extinguisher or garden hose shall be
present
4. The burn shall be attended until completion
of the fire
5. Fires only allowed when wind conditions are
light
HEAT
• For our discussion of fire and its behavior, the
three most common sources of heat that
result in the ignition of a fuel are
1. Chemical Energy
2. Electrical Energy
3. Mechanical Energy
• Chemical heat energy is the most common
source of heat in combustion reactions
CHEMICAL HEAT ENERGY
• Chemical heat energy-when any combustible
is in contact with oxygen, oxidation occurs.
The process almost always results in the
production of heat. The heat generated when
a common match burns is an example of
chemical heat energy
ELECTRICAL HEAT ENERGY
• Electrical heating can occur in several ways,
including the following:
1. Current flow through a resistance
2. Overcurrent or overload
3. Arcing
4. Sparking
MECHANICAL HEAT ENERGY
• Mechanical Heat Energy-is generated by
friction and compression.
1. Heat of friction is created by the movement
of two surfaces against each other.
2. Heat of compression is generated when a
gas is compressed.
FUEL HAZARDS
• Some common fuel hazards include:
1. Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth,
or paper
2. Flammable and combustible gases such as
natural gas, LPG, and CNG
3. Flammable and combustible liquids such as
gasoline, oils, lacquers, or alcohol
4. Chemicals such as nitrates, oxides, or
chlorates
FUEL HAZARDS (cont)
5. Dusts such as grain, wood, metal, or coal
6. Metals such as magnesium, sodium, or
potassium
7. Plastics, resins, and cellulose
TYPES OF HAZARDS
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•
•
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Common Fire Hazards
Personal Fire Hazards
Special Fire Hazards
Target Hazards
COMMON FIRE HAZARDS
• A common fire hazard is a condition that is
prevalent in almost all occupancies and
encourages a fire to start
COMMON FIRE HAZARDS (cont)
• Poor housekeeping and improper storage of
packing materials and other combustibles
• Defective or improperly used heating, lighting,
or power equipment
• Improper disposal of floor cleaning
compounds
• Misuse of fumigation substances and
flammable or combustible liquids
PERSONAL FIRE HAZARDS
• Personal fire hazards refer to those common
hazards caused by the unsafe acts of
individuals
SPECIAL FIRE HAZARDS
• A Special fire hazard is one that arises as a
result of the processes or operations that are
characteristics of the individual occupancy
• Commercial, manufacturing, and publicassembly occupancies each have their own
particular hazards
TARGET HAZARDS
• A target hazard is viewed as a facility in which
there is a great potential likelihood of life or
property loss from a fire.
1. Lumberyards
2. Bulk oil storage facilities
3. Area shopping centers
4. Hospitals, theaters, nursing homes
5. Schools, rows of frame tenements
STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE AND
COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
• Standards and specifications concerning
proper storage practices are set forth by such
organizations as the American Petroleum
Institute (API), the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), Underwriters
Laboratories, Inc. (UL) and model building or
fire codes.
TYPES OF STORAGE RECEPTACLES
• Containers have a storage capacity of 60
gallons or less
• Portable tanks are larger than 60 gallons and
are not intended for a fixed installation
• Storage tank refers to a vessel greater than 60
gallons and in a fixed location
STORAGE TANKS
• There are three basic classifications of storage
tanks:
1. Aboveground
2. Underground
3. Those located inside buildings
ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANKS
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•
•
•
Should be constructed of steel or concrete
Should be on sturdy foundation with adequate supports
The spacing between tanks should be at least 3 feet
Class 1, Class 11, or Class 111A, the distances between the
tanks must be at least one-sixth the sum of their diameters
• For unstable liquids-half the sum of their diameters
ABOVEGROUND TANKS (cont)
• In addition to normal venting, most
aboveground tanks require emergency venting
to prevent a BLEVE
• Vents located near buildings or public places
must be 12 feet from the ground
• All aboveground tanks must have a pressure
relief device of some sort
ABOVEGROUND TANKS (cont)
• All tanks storing Class 1, 11, or 111A liquids
must have dikes or some form of drainage
• The walls of the dike should be liquid-tight
and constructed of steel, concrete, solid
masonry, or earth
• The dike should be at least 3 feet tall and 2
feet wide at the top
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
• From a fire protection standpoint,
underground tank storage is perhaps the
safest form of storage for flammable and
combustible liquids
• This type of storage is most commonly found
in bulk and retail fuel storage facilities, car
rental agencies, and truck depots
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
(cont)
• The tanks may be made of metal, fiberglass,
unlined concrete
• Underground tanks that are not subject to
vehicular traffic must be covered with at least
2 feet of earth, or at least one foot of earth
plus 4 inches of reinforced concrete
• If underground tanks are likely to have
vehicles passing over them-at least 3 feet of
earth
UNDERGROUND TANKS (cont)
• Perhaps the simplest and most economical
method of detecting leaks is to be sure that
inventory is stringently controlled
• Tanks and piping should be constructed of the
same materials to prevent electrolytic
corrosion
• Abandoned tanks can be safeguarded in one
of two ways-removing them from the ground,
inerting (left in ground with inert material)
INSIDE STORAGE TANKS
• The most common types of tanks found inside
buildings are those used to store fuel oil and
drain or waste oil
• Tanks with amounts greater than 660 gallons
must be placed in a fire-resistant room or
enclosure so that they are isolated from the
rest of the building
INSIDE TANKS (cont)
• Tanks used to store flammable or combustible
liquids inside a building have the same wall
thickness and design requirements as tanks
used for outside storage
• Inside tanks must have ventilation equipment
to remove flammable vapors from within the
enclosure
CONTAINER AND PORTABLE TANK
STORAGE
• The most common form of flammable and
combustible liquid storage vessels
encountered are containers and portable
tanks
• Containers come in several forms including
glass containers, metal drums, safety cans,
and polyethylene containers
• Safety cans are one of the safest types of
storage containers and should be UL or FM
approved
CONTAINER AND PORTABLE TANK
STORAGE (cont.)
• The Inspector will most often encounter
flammable or combustible liquids stored in
containers that are 5 gallons or less
• The maximum allowable size for approved
safety cans is 5 gallons
• Safety cans use self-closing lids with vapor
seals and contain a flame arrester in the
dispenser opening
STORAGE (cont.)
• Dwelling occupancies should not store more
than 25 gallon of Class 1 or Class 11 liquids, or
60 gallons of Class 111 A liquids
• Assembly occupancies and buildings
containing more than three dwelling units
may store no more than 10 gallons of Class 1
or Class 11 liquids, or 60 gallons of Class 111A
liquids
STORAGE (cont.)
• Office, educational, and health care
occupancies should store only the amount of
liquids needed for operation, maintenance,
demonstrations, or treatment
• Mercantile occupancies and retail stores
should store no more than the amount
needed for displays or operating purposes
STORAGE CABINETS
• Small quantities of flammable or combustible
liquids in normal operating areas should be
stored in approved storage cabinets
• The cabinet is not required to be vented for
fire protection purposes
STORAGE ROOMS
• Rooms containing flammable liquids should
have raised sills at the doors
• Any opening must have approved, self-closing
fire doors
• Inside storage rooms must have some form of
ventilation, either gravity or mechanical
• A clear aisle approximately 3 feet wide must
be maintained at all times
STORAGE ROOMS (cont.)
• If class 1 liquids are being dispensed in a
room, the room must have mechanical
ventilation
OUTSIDE CONTAINER STORAGE
• Flammable and combustible liquids are often
stored outside in portable containers such as
DRUMS
• The storage area must have a fence or security
guard to protect it against vandalism
• No opening is permitted within 10 feet of the
storage area
OUTSIDE CONTAINER STORAGE
(cont.)
• Fire Inspectors should allow only containers
that have been approved for the liquids that
are placed in them
• The containers should have proper venting
• Quantities of more than 1,100 gallons may not
be located adjacent to buildings
• Local Fire or Building codes usually contain
tables giving the required spacing distances