Storage and handling of LP gas - Washington

Washington’s state requirements regarding storage and handling of LP gas include a substantial amount of regulatory information beyond the federal requirements. A summary of the additional requirements includes the following:

• Containers must have a marking identifying compliance with, and other markings required by, the rules of the reference under which the container is constructed; or with the stamp and other markings required by the laws, rules, or regulations as administered by the state of Washington, Department of Labor and Industries pertaining to such containers.
• In industrial installations involving containers of 180,000 gallons aggregate water capacity or more, where serious mutual exposures between the container and adjacent properties prevail, firewalls or other means of special protection designed and constructed in accordance with good engineering practices are required.
• Hydrostatic relief valves installed in piping connected to other than DOT containers should not be installed in the pump discharge piping if the same protection can be provided by installing the relief valve in the suction piping.
• The minimum distance required between “the nearest important building or group of buildings” and any direct gas-fired vaporizer or storage tank heated by a direct gas-fired tank heater must also be maintained between any such vaporizer or tank and any line of adjoining property which may be built upon.
• Fixed electrical equipment should “preferably” not be installed within the direct path of discharge of a relief valve, other than those on DOT cylinders.
• Fixed electrical equipment installed in a room (or any adjacent room not separated by a gas-tight partition) housing pits or trenches containing or located beneath LP-Gas valves, pumps, compressors, regulators, and similar equipment, without mechanical ventilation, must be suitable for Class I, Group D, Division 2 locations (whereas federal OSHA specifies Division 1).
• When buildings frequented by the public are open to the public, containers are permitted to be used for repair or minor renovation as follows:
• • the maximum water capacity of individual containers must be 50 pounds (nominal 20 pounds LP-gas capacity);
  • the number of LP-gas containers must not exceed the number of workers assigned to using the LP-gas; and
  • containers having a water capacity of greater than 2.5 pounds (nominal one pound LP-gas capacity) must not be left unattended in such buildings.
• When buildings frequented by the public are not open to the public, containers are permitted to be used for repair or minor renovations as if the building were under construction or undergoing major renovation, except that containers having a water capacity greater than 2.5 pounds (nominal one pound LP-gas capacity) must not be left unattended in such buildings.
• When containers are used temporarily in buildings for training purposes related to installation and use of LP-gas systems, the containers must be removed from the building when the training class has terminated.
• The following requirements apply to systems using containers other than DOT containers:
• • backfill used around storage containers installed underground must be free of rocks or other abrasive materials.
  • every effort should be made to avoid the use of pits, except pits fitted with automatic flammable vapor detecting devices;
  • at container-charging plants, the container charging room and tank truck filling station outlets, as well as any separate buildings housing pumps or compressors, must be located at least 25 feet from the line of any adjoining property which may be built upon; and
  • above ground containers must be kept properly painted.
• For additional requirements relating to portable fire extinguishers, see WAC 296-800-300.
• Trucks must not be left unattended in areas occupied by the public.
• Empty containers which have been in LP-gas service should preferably be stored in the open.
• DOT specification containers having a maximum individual water capacity of 2.5 pounds, used with completely self-contained hand torches and similar applications, are permitted to be stored or displayed in a building frequented by the public. The display of such containers must be limited to a total of 24 units of each brand and size. The total quantity on display and in storage must not exceed 200 pounds LP-gas. Storage of portable containers within special buildings or rooms must not be permitted within or attached to such a building.
• For the outdoor storage of containers awaiting use or resale, both Oregon and federal requirements specify minimum safe distances between the container storage area and (1) the nearest important building or group of buildings and (2) busy thoroughfares. To that list, Oregon adds (3) the line of adjoining property which may be built upon, and (4) the line of adjoining property occupied by schools, churches, hospitals, athletic fields, or other points of public gathering.
• Where the discharge from safety-relief valves on underground containers is piped above the ground, and where there is a probability of a manhole or housing becoming flooded, the discharge from regulator vent lines should be above the highest probable water level.
• For storage containers used exclusively in service station operations, both Oregon and federal requirements specify a minimum distance between the containers and nearby buildings. In Oregon, that minimum distance also applies to adjoining property lines which may be built upon.

To ensure that you are in compliance with these requirements, click on the following links to view the state and federal regulations regarding storage and handling of LP gas: