Flammable Liquids Storage and Handling
Warehouse procedure for storing and handling flammable and combustible liquids, covering approved storage cabinets and containers, quantity limits, bonding and grounding during dispensing, ignition source control, aerosol storage, and fire extinguisher readiness.
- Audience
- Associates who store, move, or dispense flammable liquids, maintenance technicians, and supervisors responsible for chemical storage areas
- Review cycle
- annual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- Revision
- 1
Flammable Liquids Storage and Handling: what is in the procedure
9 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure controls the fire and explosion hazard created by flammable and combustible liquids stored and used in the warehouse.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to all flammable and combustible liquids stored, dispensed, or used at the facility, including fuels, solvents, paints and thinners, adhesives and adhesive removers, penetrating oils...
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedThe program owner sets the maximum quantity held in each area, approves any new flammable liquid before it comes on site, and audits the storage areas on a set schedule.
- 04
Procedure: Cabinets, Containers, and Quantities
Fixed1. Store flammable liquids in an approved flammable storage cabinet or in an approved inside storage room, not on open shelving, not under a workbench, and not in a break room, office, electrical room, or exit route.
- 05
Procedure: Dispensing, Bonding, and Grounding
Fixed1. Dispense only in the designated dispensing area, which is ventilated, clear of ignition sources, and equipped with a Class B extinguisher and spill supplies.
- 06
Ignition Source Control
CustomizedNo smoking, vaping, open flame, or spark-producing work is permitted in or near flammable liquid storage and dispensing areas, and the areas are posted to that effect.
- 07
Aerosols
CustomizedFlammable aerosols (penetrating oil, lubricant spray, brake cleaner, spray paint, adhesive spray) hold both a flammable liquid and a propellant under pressure, so a can that is heated or punctured can rupture and ignite.
- 08
Fire Extinguishers and Response
CustomizedExtinguishers rated for Class B fires are mounted at the flammable liquid storage and dispensing areas, are within the 50 foot travel distance the standard allows for a Class B hazard...
- 09
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.106 Flammable liquids. 29 CFR 1910.157 Portable fire extinguishers.
Regulatory references
Flammable Liquids Storage and Handling: 29 CFR 1910.106(d)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
Not more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2, or 3 flammable liquids, nor more than 120 gallons of Category 4 flammable liquids may be stored in a storage cabinet.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.106(d) | Flammable liquids: container and portable tank storage | Flammable liquids must be kept in approved containers and portable tanks, with the maximum allowable container size set by container material and liquid category in Table H-12. Not more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2, or 3 flammable liquids, nor more than 120 gallons of Category 4 flammable liquids, may be stored in a storage cabinet. Cabinets must be designed and constructed to limit the internal temperature under a standard fire test, must keep joints and door secure during that test, and must be labeled in conspicuous lettering Flammable, Keep Fire Away. |
| 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6) | Flammable liquids: industrial plants, sources of ignition | Adequate precautions must be taken to prevent ignition of flammable vapors, and the standard lists open flames, lightning, smoking, cutting and welding, hot surfaces, frictional heat, static and electrical and mechanical sparks, spontaneous ignition, and radiant heat as sources to control. For the liquids this paragraph covers (Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, and Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 degrees F), the liquid must not be dispensed into a container unless the nozzle and container are electrically interconnected, which a bond wire between fill stem and container satisfies. |
| 29 CFR 1910.157(d) | Portable fire extinguishers: selection and distribution | The employer must select and distribute portable fire extinguishers based on the classes of anticipated workplace fires and on the size and degree of the hazard. For Class B fires, which is what a flammable liquid produces, extinguishers must be distributed so the travel distance from the Class B hazard area to an extinguisher is 50 feet or less. |
| 29 CFR 1910.1200(f) | Hazard communication: labels and other forms of warning | Containers of flammable liquids must carry the supplier label with product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, the flame pictogram, precautionary statements, and supplier contact information, and labels must not be removed or defaced. Any workplace container a flammable liquid is transferred into must carry at minimum the product identifier and hazard information. |
Compliance checklist
Flammable Liquids Storage and Handling: what an inspector looks for
Flammable liquids are stored in approved cabinets or an approved storage room, with doors closed and latched
29 CFR 1910.106(d)
Cabinets are marked Flammable, Keep Fire Away and hold no more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2, or 3 or 120 gallons of Category 4
29 CFR 1910.106(d)
Only approved containers and safety cans are in use, with no food or beverage containers holding chemicals
29 CFR 1910.106(d)
Bonding and grounding equipment is present, inspected, and used before every transfer
29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)
Ignition sources are controlled in storage and dispensing areas, with no smoking posted and hot work permitted
29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)
Class B rated extinguishers are within 50 feet of every flammable liquid storage and dispensing area, unobstructed, and inspected
29 CFR 1910.157(d)
Supplier labels are intact on every container and transferred containers carry product identifier and hazard information
29 CFR 1910.1200(f)
Aerosols are stored away from heat, are not punctured or baled, and are routed to vendor disposal
Secondary containment is in place under drums and dispensing points and used rags go in a self-closing oily waste can
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This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.