• Knowing the laws for flammable storage is the key to preventing fires.storage image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  A fire due to an improperly stored flammable substance always leads to great property destruction or even injury and death. Prevent disasters by storing the flammables correctly in the first place and by knowing what the federal requirements are for storing flammables. Furthermore, storing flammables incorrectly is against federal mandates and could lead to fines and possible prosecution. The agencies responsible for storage cabinet requirements for flammables are The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a nonprofit organization that the federal government relies upon heavily as an accurate source of data. These two organizations have studied the requirements for cabinets storing flammables extensively, and issues recommendations and mandates based upon their findings.
  
  

Cabinet Materials

• OSHA mandates that if the flammable storage cabinet is made of wood, it must come from exterior grade plywood at least 1-inch thick, which includes the sides, top, back, front and bottom. All joints are required rabbeted and fastened in two directions with flathead wood screws (not roundhead screws or nails). If more than one door is used, the doors must have a rabbeted overlap of not less than one inch. The cabinet must have fire resistant paint and a placard attached to the front stating that flammables are stored inside, with the exact wording stating: "Flammable - Keep Fire Away." If made of metal, the metal must be sufficiently thick to withstand the load.
  
  

Smokeless Powder (Gunpowder)

• The NFPA mandates to store smokeless powder in a wooden cabinet (not metal) and that all sides are at least 1-inch thick with a shelf separation distance of no more than 3 feet.. Since OSHA mandates are in place as well, the cabinet must meet all OSHA requirements for flammable cabinets, such as rabbeted joints.
  
  

Capacities

• OSHA states to use cabinets to store flammable liquids if the amount of the liquid exceeds 25 lbs. Don't store more than 60 gallons of flammable liquids or more than 120 gallons of combustible liquids in any one cabinet. The NFPA states not to store more than 400 lbs. of smokeless powder in any one cabinet.
  
  

Location of Cabinets

• Both agencies have mandates on the location of cabinets. OSHA states not to place more than three cabinets in the same storage area. If the amount of liquids stored exceeds 180 gallons of flammable or 360 gallons of combustible liquids, instead of a cabinet, a storage room is used. The NFPA states that for smokeless powder, cabinets are separated by at least 25 feet or by a fire partition. For storage from 800 to 5000 lbs., the cabinets separate the cabinets by at least 40 feet. Reduce this to 20 feet provided an approved partition is built in between the cabinets (10-foot span each side). Furthermore, store flammable liquids at least 25 feet away from smokeless powder or use an approved partition to separate the cabinets.