Storage Rules for Flammable Liquids

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 30: "Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, 2003" Chapter 6) which applies to office, educational, and institutional occupancies and day care centers storage shall be limited to that required for the operation of office equipment, maintenance, demonstration and laboratory work.

These four rules for indoor storage of flammable and combustible liquids in Educational and Institutional Occupancies have been established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

  • Containers of Class I liquids that are stored outside of an inside liquid storage area shall not exceed a capacity of 5 L (1.3 gallons)

    Exception: Safety can shall be permitted up to a l0 L (2.6 gallon) capacity.

  • The combined volume of Class I and Class II liquids stored in a single fire area outside of a storage cabinet or an inside storage area not stored in safety cans shall not exceed 38 L (10 gallons)
  • The combined volume of Class I and Class II liquids stored in a single fire area in safety cans outside of an inside liquid storage area of storage cabinet shall not exceed 95 L (25 gallons)
  • The volume of Class IIIA liquids stored outside of an inside liquid storage area or storage cabinet shall not exceed 230 L (60 gallons)

Storage for industrial and education laboratory work shall comply with NFPA 45, "Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals."

Flammability Classifications for Commonly Used Chemicals:

Class IA

Class IB

Class IC
Dimethyl Sulfide Acetone Ethylene Glycol Diethyl Ether
Ethylene Oxide Acrylonitrile Ethylene Glycol Isopropyl Ether
Ethyl Mercaptan Ethyl Acetate Hydrazine
Hydrogen Cyanide Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) High Flash V.M.&P. Naphtha
Pentane Ethylene Dichloride Paraldehyde
Petroleum Ether* Ethyl Ether Styrene
Propylene Oxide Heptane Xylenes
Vinyl Chloride Hexane Butyl Alcohol
Acetaldehyde Isopropanol Butyl Aceylate 
2-Butyne (Methyl Alcohol) Methanol M-Xylene
2-Chloropropane Methyl Ethyl Ketone O-Xylene
Dichlorosilane Methyl Isobutyl Ketone P-Xylene
Methyl Ethel Ether Methyl Methacrylate Amyl Alacohol
Methyl Formate Petroleum Ether* Amyl Bromide
Methyl Mercaptan V.M.&P Naphtha Butyl Nitrate
Cimethyl Sulfide Pyridine Chlorobenzene
Ethyl Amine Tetrahydrofuran Cumene
Ethyl Chloride Toluene Cyclohexanone
Ethyl Nitrite p-Dioxane Dibutyl Ether
Furan Ethyl Nitrate Hexylamine
Hydrocyanic Acid Methyl Isobutyl Ketone Isoamyl Acetate
Isoprene Methyl Methacrylate Isobutyl Alcohol
1, 3 Pentadiene Octane Nitromethane
Trichlorosilane Triethylamine Turpentine

*   May fall into Class IA or IB, depending on the Boiling Point of the mixture

source: Fire Protection Guide to Hazardous Materials, 10th edition, NFPA, 1991.

Each petroleum product (oil, antifreeze, WD40, etc.) should be categorized and kept under these limits. Some simpler rules of thumb may be easier to remember and follow:

  • Class I liquids shall not be handled or used in basements.
  • No flammable liquid storage in mechanical rooms.
  • No more than one drum of combustible liquids in one room (one drum of oil or one drum of antifreeze).
  • Minimize the amount and time that paint is stored in mechanical rooms, unless stored in flammable storage cabinets.

Updated February 8, 2007 by SAK