FLAMMABLE & COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID HAZARDS:INTRODUCTION TO HAZARDS & PREVENTION TECHNIQUES

PART 1: FLAMMABLE & COMBUSTABLE LIQUIDS SAMPLE CLASSIFICATIONS

PARTNERS IN PREVENTION © LRI 2012

2300 Yonge Street Suite 2100, PO Box 2372 Toronto Ontario, M4P 1E4 Canada T 416.515.9331 F 416.515.1640 www.LRiFire.com

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Flammable and combustible liquid classifi cations in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code:

CLASSIFICATION FLASH POINT BOILING POINTFlammable LiquidsClass IA Below 22.8 °C Below 37.8 °CClass IB Below 22.8 °C At or above 37.8 °CClass IC At or above 22.8 °C and below 37.8 °C N/ACombustible LiquidsClass II At or above 37.8 °C and below 60 °C N/AClass IIIA At or above 60 °C and below 93.3 °C N/A

COMMON LIQUID NAME FLASH POINT (°C) BOILING POINT (°C) CLASSIFICATIONAcetone -20.0 56.1 IBChlorex (Bleach) 55.0 178.3 IIEthanol (Ethyl Alcohol) 12.8 78.3 IBFuel Oil No 1 38 to 72 151 to 301 IIGasoline -43 38-204 IAIsopropyl Alcohol (IPA) 11.7 82.8 IBKerosene 43.3 154.4 IIMethanol (Methyl Alcohol) 11.1 64.8 IBMethyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) -8.9 80.0 IBStoddard Solvent 37.7 127.0 IBXylene 27.2 138.9 IC

The following provides a brief list of common fl ammable and combustible liquids found in various occupancies. The list is based on the Appendix to the Audit Guide to Part 4 of the Ontario Fire Code, prepared by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services and the offi ce of the Fire Marshal. The list is not a compre-hensive list of fl ammable and combustible liquids and the Material Safety Data Sheet should always be reviewed to confi rm liquid classifi cation.

PARTNERS IN PREVENTION © LRI 2012

2300 Yonge Street Suite 2100, PO Box 2372 Toronto Ontario, M4P 1E4 Canada T 416.515.9331 F 416.515.1640 www.LRiFire.com

info@lrifi re.com www.lrifi re.com

FLAMMABLE & COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID HAZARDS:INTRODUCTION TO HAZARDS & PREVENTION TECHNIQUES

PART 2: FLAMMABLE & COMBUSTABLE LIQUIDS CHECKLIST

HANDLING OF LIQUIDS1. Are liquids in closed containers?2. Are liquids in approved fl ammable liquids cabinets?3. Are liquids in a dedicated storage room?4. Are fl ammable liquids in containers > 1 L?5. Are combustible liquids in containers > 5 L?

IGNITION SOURCE CONTROL6. Are ignition sources kept away from storage/use areas?7. Are electrical devices classifi ed for hazardous areas in storage/use areas?

SPILL CONTROL8. Is spill containment or drainage provided for storage/use areas?

VENTILATION9. Is there natural ventilation in storage/use areas?10. Is there continuous mechanical ventilation in storage/use areas?

FIRE COMPARTMENTS11. Are fi re compartments inspected and maintained?12. Are fi re doors closed?

SPECIAL HAZARDS (If answer is ‘Yes’ additional fi re code requirements are likely applicable)13. Are liquids stored in tanks located inside or outside the building?14. Are there dispensing operations at the facility?15. Are liquids used or stored within laboratories?16. Are liquids transferred in the building through pipes?

FIRE SAFETY PLANS17. Does the facility have an approved Fire Safety Plan?18. Does the facility conduct annual emergency training?

ACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS19. Does the building have a Fire Alarm System?20. Is the building protected by sprinklers or a suppression system?

Yes No UnsureYes No UnsureYes No UnsureYes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No UnsureYes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No Unsure

Yes No UnsureYes No Unsure

It is important to be aware of the hazards which may exist in your facility. This document is not intended to be exhaustive, it highlights some common risks which are easy to recognize. It is possible that other risks, not listed here, are present within your facility. In order to ensure the safest possible working environment it is imperative that you are aware of all risks and the specifi c requirements associated with each.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to everything above, except questions 13-16, a Preliminary Risk Assessment can be conducted to confi rm that your facility is code compliant while providing peace of mind that your facility is as safe as possible.

If you answered ‘No’ or ‘Unsure’ to any of questions 1-12 and/or 17-20 or ‘Yes’ to any of questions 13-16, we strongly advise you seek additional information to ensure that your facility is compliant with all applicable building and fi re codes and that safe practices are being used. A Preliminary Risk Assessment conducted by an expert could help identify the presence of these, and other hazards in your facility. If defi ciencies are found, a comprehensive Fire Code Audit can be conducted to isolate and address them.