A. Containers used for bulk storage, and commercial storage vessels located at cotton gins, rice dryers, schools, hospitals, bottle filling plants, etc., having a capacity of twelve hundred (1200) water gallons, or over, shall be located not less than fifty (50) feet from the nearest important building or group of buildings or line of adjoining property which may be built on. They shall not be less than fifty (50) feet from main line or passing track of a railroad, or public highway. Waiver of this requirement may be made by the Director providing no undue hazards exist, but in no case shall they be located closer than twenty-five (25) feet, regardless of size of the container. EXCEPTION: Bulk storage containers used for the transferring of liquefied petroleum gases into delivery trucks shall be not less than four hundred (400) feet from any school, hospital, or other place of public assembly.

B. Storage containers shall be provided with substantial reinforced concrete footings and foundations and shall be mounted on saddles in such a manner as to permit expansion and contraction. Every container shall be so supported as to prevent the concentration of excessive loads on the supporting portion of the shell. Suitable means of preventing corrosion shall be provided on that portion of the container in contact with the foundation or saddles. There shall be a resilient cushion of road expansion, or other suitable material placed between the saddle and tank to allow for minor imperfections in pier surface, to protect the tank from corrosion and to act a lubricant in tank expansion and contraction. That portion of the tank surface that is to be in contact with the pier, or saddle, shall be painted with at least two (2) coats of red lead, or its equivalent, before installing on the supports. Blueprints of approved-type footings, and foundations may be obtained from the Board upon request. EXCEPTION: Containers used for storage of Propane gas, not exceeding 2500 water gallon capacity, and containers used for storage of Butane gas, not exceeding 3000 water gallon capacity may be mounted on prefabricated concrete blocks, providing the design has been reviewed and approved by the Director prior to installation.

C. Storage containers shall be equipped with the necessary safety relief valves as outlined in the latest edition of Pamphlet No. 58, National Fire Protection Association, and shall have direct communication with the vapor space of the container. The discharge from the safety relief valve shall be upward and unobstructed to the open air.

D. Safety relief valves shall be so arranged that possibility of tampering will be minimized: if pressure setting or adjustment is external, the relief valve shall be provided with approved means for sealing adjustment.

E. No shut-off valve shall be installed between the safety relief valves and the container.

F. Loose-fitting caps, or covers, shall be placed over the safety valves to prevent rain or other substance from entering the valves.

G. Storage containers of all types shall be equipped with suitable ground wire, excess flow check valves in the liquid and vapor outlets, liquid level gauging device, safety relief valves, and vapor pressure gauge graduated to not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) times the designed working pressure of the container, but need not exceed 300 PSI. The coupling for the excess flow check valve and vapor return valve on containers of 1200 gallons capacity, and over, shall be not less than one and one-fourth (1 1/4) inches standard pipe size. All piping shall be wrought iron or steel and shall be at least extra heavy to the first hand shut-off valve. All piping past the first hand shut-off valve shall be at least extra heavy (Schedule 80) if joints are threaded, or threaded and back welded. At least single strength (Schedule 40) shall be used if joints are welded, or welded and flanged. The use of cast iron plugs or fittings is prohibited. Stop valves shall be placed as near the outlet as possible on all liquid and vapor lines. The piping leading to and from the excess flow check valves shall be sufficient in size to prevent pressure drops reaching the point where the excess flow check valve would not function, and in no case shall such piping be reduced in size between the check valve and the first hand shut-off valve, but must be equal to, or greater in size than that of the excess flow check valve outlet.

See Diagrams on page 96.

H. A safety relief valve shall be installed between each pair of shut-off valves on all liquid lines to relieve into a safe atmosphere, any excess pressure that may exist. The start-to-discharge pressure shall not be less than 400 PSIG or in excess of 500 PSIG.

I. All bulk storage containers, regardless of size and containers used for fuel purposes such as mounted on automobiles, trucks, buses, tractors, or other mobile or portable equipment, regardless of size, and all commercial and industrial storage containers exceeding 1200 water gallon capacity shall be equipped with individual fittings: the use of domestic compact head and fittings is prohibited.

J. Where two or more containers are connected rigidly together in a battery, provisions shall be made in all liquid and vapor manifolds for the expansion or contraction of the vessels or piping.

K. The operator shall be in attendance at all times while the container, regardless of type, is being loaded or unloaded: the operator shall be stationed close to point of cutoff at all times during filling or un- loading operation.

L. Each opening in container exceeding a No.54 drill size, except safety relief valves and gauging devices of the float, or equivalent type which do not require flow for their operation, shall be equipped with an excess flow valve or its equivalent.

M. The welding or brazing of any malleable fitting is prohibited.

N. All pipe and fittings subjected to tank pressure where buried under- ground shall be at least extra heavy (Schedule 80).

O. The installation of any storage container underground, or the covering of any storage container with a mound of earth, or other material, except containers designed to operate under refrigerated or cryogenic conditions, is prohibited.

P. Gauge glasses of the columnar type shall be restricted to filling plants where the fuel is withdrawn in the liquid phase only. They shall be equipped with valves having metallic handwheels, with excess flow valves and with extra-heavy glass adequately protected with a metal housing applied by the gauge manufacturer. They shall be shielded against the direct rays of the sun. Gauge glasses of the columnar type are prohibited on truck tanks, motor fuel tanks, and on containers used in domestic, commercial, and industrial installations.

Q. Any container where transfer of liquids is made from such container into portable container such as tractors, skid tanks, and motor fuel tanks, shall be located not less than thirty (30) feet from any residence or publicly occupied building. This does not include DOT cylinders, as they must be filled by weight at approved filling stations in compliance with Section 10, Par. C., and located in compliance with Par. A. of this Section.

R. Storage containers shall be painted at the time of installation with white or aluminum paint, or any other light colored paint with equivalent, heat-reflective characteristics, and shall have painted on both sides and both heads where readily visible the word “FLAMMABLE” in red letters at least six (6) inches in height. Warning signs with the following words, “No Smoking Or Open Flame Permitted Within Ten (10) Feet”, shall be painted on the container or a sign adjacent to the container in letters of at least one and one-half (1 ½ ) inches in height, in black or red, on a white or aluminum background. Where considered necessary by a representative of the Board, containers shall be adequately protected by a suitable guard rail to protect vessel from moving vehicles or objects, a fence, or provisions made for locking the service line valves to prevent pranksters or prowlers or unauthorized persons from opening the valves, allowing gas to escape. The premises around the container shall be maintained in good order. Combustible matter of any type shall not be allowed to accumulate near the container.

S. Electric motors and switches or internal combustion engines used in connection with compressors or pumps for loading and unloading at bulk plants shall be explosion-proof type.

T. All containers used for domestic and commercial purposes and first stage regulating equipment shall be located outside of buildings, other than those especially provided for this purpose, except DOT cylinders which may be used indoors under the following conditions:

Each individual container shall be located with respect to the nearest important building or group of buildings, or line of adjoining property which may be built on in accordance with the following table:

EXCEPTION: -- DOT cylinders of 30 water gallon capacity, or less.

The distance between liquefied petroleum gas containers and any anhydrous ammonia container shall be not less than 25 feet. No liquefied petroleum gas container except containers designed to operate under refrigerated or cryogenic conditions and containers located at marine or pipe line terminals shall exceed 90,000 Standard U.S. Gallon capacity. Containers located at marine or pipe line terminals not designed to operate under refrigerated or cryogenic conditions shall not be in excess of 100,000 water gallon capacity.

No liquefied petroleum gas container in excess of 30,000 water gallon capacity shall be installed prior to approval by the Board

Containers that have been in use for the storage of anhydrous ammonia shall not be used for the storage of liquefied petroleum gases unless that container has been completely emptied and made free of all anhydrous ammonia. The container shall be completely refitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of this Code.

Flexible hose for use with liquefied petroleum gases shall consist of a hose with a minimum bursting pressure of not less than twelve hundred fifty (1250) PSI. There shall be etched, cast, or impressed on the hose at 5 foot intervals, or on a name plate permanently attached thereto, the following information:

L.P.G.

Bursting Pressure Manufacturer's name or trademark

Year of manufacture

U. Each storage container used in connection with a service station operation not exceeding 1200 water gallon capacity shall be located not less than twenty-five (25) feet from any building, group of buildings and adjoining property lines which may be built upon. Storage containers in excess of 1200 water gallon capacity shall not be located closer than fifty (50) feet in relation to the above.

V. Readily ignitable material including weeds, dry grass, etc., shall be removed within ten (10) feet of the container. Where quantity of combustible material is large, it may be necessary that the distance between the container and material exceed ten (10) feet.

W. The minimum distance between LP-Gas containers and flammable or combustible liquid tanks or containers shall be not less than twenty (20) feet.

X. No bulk or commercial storage container shall be installed or moved and reinstalled at any location prior to approval by the Director.

Y. Railcar to cargo tank transfer (commonly called Transloading) is allowable under the following conditions: