Storage Requirements for Hazardous Substances and Compressed Gases

Construction Conditions

• Construction conditions:
  Signposted with letters exclusive indicating that it stores Class D substances, in accesses and Costa 2 (Decree No. 2190 of 1993, Standard NC 1411/4 of 2001).
• Solid floor, washable and non-porous.
• Solid, non-combustible structure, light roof and fire walls with resistance in accordance with the General Planning and Construction Ordinance, according to their destination (storage) and load density of the fuels they contain, including packaging.
• Natural or forced ventilation depending on the chemical substances stored. The air must be renewed in accordance with the description in MINSAL Decree 594/99. The ventilation system must be built so that the walls do not lose their fire resistance. Only small openings in the upper part of the walls are accepted; the roof, or the lower part of the walls, may be used depending on the substances stored. Openings must be built so that air circulates upward.
• Emergency exit routes in number, capacity, location and identification appropriate to allow the first exit to the safety areas, as established in MINSAL Decree 594/99.
• Exit doors must open in the direction of evacuation, without the need for prior use of or knowledge of special mechanisms.
• The storage of flammable substances (solids and liquids) must be carried out in one-story buildings; underground storage is prohibited.
• Local exhaust systems for liquids, depending on the stored product.
• Containers used for storage in fixed tanks must have a drainage control system, consisting of one pool containing a volume of 1.1 times the capacity of the tank.

Storage Conditions

• Hazardous substances must be kept inside containers (sacks, drums, barrels, MAXISACOS, tanks or others). They may only be stored in piles where technically justified, such as bulk storage, because the air is not inside the containers.
• Pallets or orderly storage on shelving racks, separated, independent or preferably separated by their specific rating and incompatibility (see annex).
• Storage must not obstruct access and drainage routes.
• Demarcation must be clearly marked with yellow lines.
• Central aisle with a minimum width of 2.4 meters.
• Minimum aisle width between batteries of 1.2 meters (secondary aisles).
• Minimum distance to walls for primary hazardous substances inside: 0.5 m, minimum 50 cm.
• Signage must indicate the classification letters of the stored products.
• Substances must preferably be labeled in accordance with Decree 2190 of 1993.
• Labeling of substances must include information and actions to take in case of emergency, following the RISG.
• Stored substances must comply with the required distances and the specifications of the sprinkler systems.
• There must be one register, kept in a safe place and available for the person in charge, in Spanish, with all the safety data sheets for the products, in accordance with Decree 2245 of 1993.
• Electrical installation compliant with regulations (declared in writing) and explosion-proof tests, preferably for the stored products.

Storage Requirements for Large Quantities and Small Containers

When storing more than 500 kg of hazardous substances in containers of 200 kg or liters or less, the storage area must meet the following characteristics:
• Closed, maintaining restricted access.
• Made of non-combustible materials.
• Signposted.
• Avoid ventilation that allows gas accumulation inside.
• With a controlled drainage mechanism (with self-contained breathing apparatus).

Fire Protection Conditions

• Fire extinguishers properly located, of the type and quantity indicated by MINSAL Decree 594/99.
• Emergency plan for leaks and/or fire.
• Autonomous fire-fighting water supply, depending on the stored product and quantity, sufficient for at least 30 minutes of combat for the arrival of firefighters.
• Automatic fire detection system, depending on the substance and the amount stored, preferably as indicated by NFPA 72 or another internationally recognized equivalent.
• Automatic extinguishing system (sprinklers) based on chemical dust, water or foam, depending on the quantity of product stored. Calculations for the design and layout must follow the specific rules indicated by NFPA (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 30, 432) or other internationally recognized laws in effect that do not contradict the NFPA standards.

Class 2: Compressed Gases

2.1 Classification

• Flammable gases.
• Non-flammable gases (including oxidizers).
• Toxic gases.

Construction Conditions

• In an area exclusively for cylinders, away from thermal sources.
• The area intended for storage must be a solid, light and closed floor, separated from the main building by partitions or walls.
• If storage is inside a building, the design must include sufficient ventilation to prevent the concentration of gases that could cause explosion, suffocation or poisoning. The density and characteristics of each gas must be taken into account.
• Cylinders must be stored preferably separated by their specific gas classification.
• When oxidizers and flammables are stored together, the building must have a fire separation wall with a fire resistance of F-120, or a 5-meter distance from entrances depending on the quantity.
• Cylinders in use or empty must be stored separately and labeled to indicate whether they are full or empty.

Specific Conditions for Storing Cylinders (Excluding Aerosols)

• Signage indicating the types of gases stored, their classification and the special safety measures.
• All cylinders must be stored in a vertical position and secured to a wall or railing to prevent rollover.
• Storage of liquefied gas in cylinders must be governed as indicated by Ministry of Commerce Decree 29/84.

Fire Protection Conditions

• Signs indicating no smoking in areas where these gases are stored.
• Cylinders must be stored away from electrical installations to avoid short circuits.
• In buildings where flammable gas cylinders are stored, the electrical installation must be flameproof in the ambient area.