Item 1: Flammable liquid storage and dispensing
Overview of Item 1
A PSR for Item 1 (flammable liquids) is required when:
- flammable liquids are dispensed in a building, room or area, or
- when more than 235 litres of flammable liquids are located in a building or room unless all three of the exemption requirements for storage as set out in the Table are met
Subsections 22 (1), (2) and (4) are the applicable provisions of the Industrial Establishments Regulation that deal with flammable liquid storage and dispensing.
While not specific to a PSR for Item 1, sections 121 and 122 of the Industrial Establishments Regulation may affect design criteria for flammable storage rooms.
Out of scope
The storage of flammable liquids outdoors and remote from any means of egress are out of scope for the PSR requirement. However, the employer must still ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Industrial Establishments Regulation, Ontario’s Fire Code and other applicable laws.
PSR for Item 1
When flammable liquids are located in a building or room or dispensed in a building, room or area and a PSR is being written to determine compliance or measures to be taken to achieve compliance with subsections 22 (1), (2) and (4) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation, as applicable, the following codes, guidelines, regulations and standards can be referenced:
- Ontario Electrical Safety Code (O. Reg. 164/99) under the Electricity Act, 1998
- Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07), Part 4, under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997
- Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 and its regulations
- National Fire Code of Canada (NFC), Part 4
- Factory Mutual Systems - Handbook of Industrial Loss Prevention
- PLUS 2203 HAZLOC-94: Hazardous Locations: A Guide for the Design, Construction and Installation of Electrical Equipment in Explosive Atmospheres, by John A. Bossert (Available from CSA, ISBN 0-921347-39-1)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and codes of practice
- NFPA 30: Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code
- NFPA 68: Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration
- NFPA 69: Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems
- NFPA 505: Fire Safety Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks
- Fire Protection Handbook, published by the NFPA
Reviewer for a PSR for Item 1
A reviewer for Item 1 must be an engineer.
Exemptions for Item 1
When a workplace can establish that not more than 235 litres of flammable liquids are being stored per adequate fire cabinet, which are in groups of not more than three cabinets and the groups of cabinets are separated by at least 30 metres, then the workplace may claim an exemption from a PSR.
Storing more than 235 litres of flammable liquids per adequate fire cabinet is a contravention of clause 22(3)(b) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation.
Ontario’s Fire Code sets out the requirements for adequate fire cabinets, as does subsection 22(3) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation. The flammable liquids in the cabinets must be in closed containers.
There is no exemption for dispensing of flammable liquids in a building, room or area.
Documents for establishing an exemption
To establish an exemption to Item 1, keep all the following documents:
- floor plans with the location of the cabinets
- manufacturer’s specifications for the cabinets
- standard operating procedures indicating how the workplace will limit the amount of flammable liquids in closed containers in each cabinet
Flow Chart 2 – Flammable liquids storage exemption
