This article shall apply to the storage, handling and use of flammable liquids as hereinafter defined; except that it shall not apply to the transportation of flammable liquids when in conformity with Interstate Commerce Commission regulations, or regulations lawfully on file with and approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
A. 
"Flammable liquid" shall mean any liquid having a flash point below 200° F. and having a vapor pressure not exceeding 40 pounds per square inch (absolute).
B. 
Flammable liquids shall be divided into three classes as follows:
(1) 
Class I shall include those having flash points at or below 20° F.
(2) 
Class II shall include those having flash points above 20° F. but at or below 70° F.
(3) 
Class III shall include those having flash points above 70° F.
C. 
When artificially heated to temperatures equal to or higher than their flash points, Class II and Class III liquids shall be subject to the applicable requirements for Class I or II liquids. The provisions in this article shall also be applied to high flash point liquids which otherwise would be outside of its scope when they are so heated.
D. 
Representative examples of flammable liquids by classes are:
Class I
Class II
Class III
Acetone Benzol
Amyl acetate (commercial grade)
Amyl alcohol Fuel oil
Collodion
Ethyl acetate
Kerosene
Ether
Methyl alcohol
Stoddard solvent
Gasoline
Toluol
Methyl acetate
Pyridine
Naphtha
A permit shall be obtained for any of the following:
A. 
Storage, handling or use of Class I or Class II flammable liquids in excess of one gallon in a dwelling or other place of human habitation, or in excess of six gallons in any other building or other occupancy, or in excess of 10 gallons outside of any building; except that no permit shall be required for the following:
(1) 
For the storage or use of flammable liquids in the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, aircraft, motorboat, mobile power plant or mobile heating plant.
(2) 
For the storage or use of paints, oils, varnishes or similar flammable mixtures when such liquids are stored for maintenance, painting or similar purposes for a period of not more than 30 days.
B. 
Storage, handling or use of Class III flammable liquids in excess of 25 gallons in a building, or in excess of 60 gallons outside of a building.
C. 
For the manufacture, processing, blending or refining of flammable liquids.
D. 
For the storage of flammable liquids in stationary tanks.
A. 
The storage of Class I and Class II flammable liquids in aboveground tanks outside of buildings is prohibited within the boundaries of the Borough of Beach Haven.
B. 
Location of an aboveground tank for storage of flammable liquids with respect to distance from the nearest line of adjoining property which may be built upon shall be such that the distance between any part of the tank and the line shall be not less than that set forth in Table I.
Table I
Capacity of Tank
(gallons)
Class of Flammable Liquid
Minimum Distance
(feet)
0 to 275
III
0
276 to 750
III
5
C. 
Aboveground storage of Class III in quantities greater than a total of 750 gallons in one or more tanks upon the same premises is prohibited.
D. 
Tanks shall rest directly on the ground or on foundations or supports of concrete, masonry, piling or steel. Exposed piling or steel supports shall be protected by fire-resistive materials to provide a fire-resistance rating of not less than two hours.
E. 
Each connection to an aboveground tank storing flammable liquids located below normal liquid level shall be provided with an internal or external control valve located as close as practicable to the shell of the tank. Except for flammable liquids whose chemical characteristics are incompatible with steel, such valves, when external, and their connection to the tank, shall be of steel.
A. 
Flammable liquids other than crude petroleum. Individual tanks or groups of tanks, where deemed necessary by the Chief of the Fire Department, the Fire Marshal, or a deputy of either on account of proximity to waterways, character of topography, or nearness to structures of high value or to places of habitation or assembly, shall be diked or the yard shall be provided with a curb or other suitable means taken to prevent the spread of liquid onto other property or waterways. Where a diked enclosure is required under this section, it shall have a net capacity not less than that of the largest tank, plus 10% of the aggregate capacity of all other tanks served by the enclosure.
B. 
Dike construction. Except where protection is provided by natural topography, dikes or retaining walls required under the foregoing subsection shall be of earth, concrete or solid masonry designed to be liquidtight and to withstand a full hydraulic head, and so constructed as to provide the required protection. Earthen dikes three feet or more in height shall have a flat section at the top not less than two feet wide. The slope shall be consistent with the angle of repose of the material of which the dikes are constructed.
C. 
Drainage. Where provision is made for draining rainwater from diked areas, such drains shall normally be kept closed and shall be so designed that when in use, they will not permit flammable liquids to enter natural watercourses, public sewers or public drains, if their presence would constitute a hazard.
A. 
Location Class I and II. An underground tank for Class I or Class II flammable liquids shall be located not less than the distance indicated in Table II, measured horizontally from the nearest point of the shell to the nearest line of adjoining property that may be built upon and the nearest outside wall of any basement or pits of which the floor is lower in elevation than the top of such tank. Where such location causes unnecessary hardship, an underground tank may be placed closer than the distance specified if enclosed, encased or otherwise protected from physical damage.
Table II
Minimum Distance From Underground Tanks for Class I or II Flammable
Liquids to Basements or to Line of Adjoining Property That May be Built Upon
Individual Tank Capacity
Class I and II
(gallons)
Location If Top of Tank is Above the
Lowest Floor, Basement or Part of Any
Building Which is Not Less Than:
550
5 feet away
5,000
10 feet away
10,000
15 feet away
15,000
20 feet away
Unlimited
25 feet away
B. 
Depth and cover. Underground tanks shall be set on firm foundations and surrounded with soft earth or sand well tamped in place. Tanks shall be covered with a minimum of two feet of earth, or shall be covered with not less than one foot of earth on top of which shall be placed a slab of reinforced concrete not less than four inches thick. When subjected to traffic or likely to be so subjected in the future, tanks shall be protected against damage from vehicles passing over them by at least three feet of earth cover, or 18 inches of well-tamped earth plus six inches of reinforced concrete or eight inches of asphaltic concrete. Where asphaltic or reinforced concrete paving is used as part of the protection, it must extend at least one foot horizontally beyond the outline of the tank in all directions.
Tanks for storage of Class I and II flammable liquids shall not be installed inside buildings except under special conditions as covered by nationally recognized standard practice as specified in § 95-12.
A. 
Unenclosed tanks shall not be located within five feet, horizontally, of any fire or flame. Tanks larger than 60 gallons' capacity shall not be located in buildings above the lowest story, cellar or basement, except in commercial, industrial or processing plants where storage on a higher floor is required by the process. Tanks exceeding 275 gallons individual capacity or 550 gallons aggregate capacity in an individual building or in a section of a building separated by fire walls shall be installed in an enclosure constructed as follows: The walls of the enclosure shall be constructed of reinforced concrete at least six inches thick or of brick at least eight inches thick. Such enclosures shall be bonded to the floors. Enclosures shall have tops of reinforced concrete at least five inches thick or equivalent fire-resistive construction, except that where floor or roof construction above the enclosure is concrete or other fire-resistive construction, the walls may be extended to and bonded to the underside of the construction above in lieu of the provision of a separate top. Any openings to such enclosures shall be provided with fire doors or other approved closures and six-inch, noncombustible, liquidtight sills or ramps. Provision shall be made for adequate ventilation of such enclosures prior to entering for inspection or repairs on tanks.
B. 
Inside storage tanks shall be securely supported to prevent settling, sliding or lifting.
Tanks shall be designed and constructed to withstand safely the service to which subjected. Material other than steel, if used, shall be of suitable durability and of thicknesses providing equivalent strength to that provided by steel. Steel commonly known as "mill seconds" shall not be used.
A. 
Vents for normal breathing. Tanks shall have normal venting capacity sufficient to permit the filling and emptying of such tanks, plus their breathing due to temperature changes, without distortion of tank shell or roof.
B. 
Vents for emergency relief. In addition to the provisions for normal venting herein required, every aboveground storage tank shall have some form of construction or device that will relieve excessive internal pressure, caused by exposure fires, that might cause the rapture of the tank shell or bottom.
A. 
Location and arrangement of vents, Class I or II. Vent pipes from tanks storing Class I or Class II flammable liquids shall be so located that the discharge point is outside of buildings, higher than the fill pipe opening and not less than 12 feet above the adjacent ground level. Vent pipes shall discharge only upward or horizontally (not downward) in order to disperse vapors. Vent pipes two inches or less in nominal inside diameter shall not be obstructed by devices that will reduce their capacity and thus cause excessive back pressure. Vent pipe outlets shall be so located that flammable vapors will not enter building openings or be trapped under eaves or other obstructions. If the vent pipe is less than 10 feet in length or greater than two inches in nominal inside diameter, the outlet shall be provided with a vacuum and pressure relief device or there shall be an approved flame arrester located in the vent line at the outlet or within the approved distance from the outlet. In no case shall a flame arrester be located more than 15 feet from the outlet end of the vent line.
B. 
Location and arrangement of vents, Class III. Vent pipes from tanks storing Class III flammable liquids shall terminate outside of building and higher than the fill pipe opening. Vent outlets shall be above normal snow level. They may be fitted with return bends, coarse screens or other devices to minimize ingress of foreign material.
C. 
Size of vents. Each tank shall be vented through piping adequate in size to prevent blowback of vapor or liquid at the fill opening while tank is being filled. Vent pipes shall be not less than 1 1/4 inches nominal inside diameter.
D. 
Vent piping. Vent pipes shall be so laid as to drain toward the tank without sags or traps in which liquid can collect. They shall be located so that they will not be subjected to physical damage above ground. Vent pipes from tanks storing the same class of flammable liquids may be connected into one outlet pipe. The outlet pipe shall be at least one pipe-size larger than the largest individual vent pipe connected thereto. In no case shall the point of connection between vent lines be lower than the top of any fill pipe opening. The lower end of a vent pipe shall enter the tank through the top and shall not extend into the tank more than one inch.
A. 
Fill and discharge piping. Filling and discharge lines for Class I and Class II liquids, and for Class III liquids where practicable, shall enter tanks only through the top and shall be graded toward the tank.
B. 
Fill openings. The fill pipe opening shall be located outside of any building. For Class III flammable liquid storage, the fill pipe opening shall be not less than two feet from any building opening at the same or lower level. The fill pipe opening shall be closed and liquidtight when not in use.
A. 
Piping, valves and fittings for flammable liquids shall be designed for the working pressures and structural stresses to which they may be subjected.
B. 
Pipe systems shall be substantially supported and protected against physical damage and excessive stresses arising from settlement, vibration, expansion or contraction.
A. 
Design and construction. Class I and Class II flammable liquids shall be transferred from underground tanks by means of fixed pumps so designed and equipped as to allow control of the flow and to prevent leakage or accidental discharge. Supplemental means shall be provided outside of the dispensing device whereby the source of power may be readily disconnected in the event of fire or other accident. Dispensing devices for Class I or Class II flammable liquids shall be of approved type. Devices meeting the standards of the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section. Class I or Class II flammable liquids shall not be dispensed by pressure or gravity from drums, barrels and similar containers. Gear pumps or similar positive displacement devices taking suction through the top of the container shall be used. Class I and Class II flammable liquids shall not be dispensed by a device that operates through pressure within a storage tank, unless the tank has been approved as a pressure vessel for the use to which it is subjected. In no case shall air or gas pressure be used for this purpose.
B. 
Automatic dispensing devices. The dispensing of Class I flammable liquids into the fuel tank of a vehicle or containers shall at all times be under the manual control of a competent person.
C. 
Location. Dispensing devices at automotive service stations shall be so located that all parts of the vehicle being served will be on private property.
Rooms or enclosures in which Class I or Class II flammable liquids are so pumped or dispensed, used in open vats or dip tanks, or mixed or blended shall be provided with natural or mechanical ventilation that will prevent the accumulation of flammable vapors in hazardous concentrations.
A. 
Storage outside of such rooms shall be in original sealed containers or in approved safety cans of not more than five gallons' capacity, and the aggregate capacity shall not exceed 25 gallons unless in an approved storage cabinet which may be utilized for storage of not over 50 gallons.
B. 
Containers of flammable liquids stored outdoors shall be segregated by an open space of at least 10 feet from roadways, sidewalks and structures so as not to constitute an immediate life or property hazard in event of fire. Special attention should be given to routes of egress for building occupants, window and door openings, and combustible exterior walls, platforms, cornices and roofs in securing the desired separation. Containers piled one upon the other shall be separated by dunnage sufficient to provide stability and to prevent excessive, stress on container walls. The height of piles shall be consistent with stability. Drums and barrels stored on their sides shall have their heads facing aisles so that leakage of bungs may be detected. Containers storing flammable liquids shall have caps, plugs or bungs replaced immediately after use and when the container is empty.
C. 
Class I or Class II flammable liquids shall not be drawn from or dispensed into vessels or containers within a building except by means of a device drawing from top of the tank or the container.
Open flames, heating devices and processes employing temperatures capable of igniting the vapors of the flammable liquids used shall be prohibited in buildings, rooms and other confined spaces in which Class I or Class II flammable liquids are used in the open, or in which Class III flammable liquids are used for the purpose of saturating, coating or otherwise treating goods or materials. Artificial lighting shall be by electricity only. Electric devices located within the possible path of vapor travel shall be of a type approved for such locations. Compliance with applicable provisions of the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters known as the "National Electrical Code" shall be deemed prima facie evidence of compliance with this section. Smoking shall be prohibited and suitable signs to that effect shall be displayed.
Where flammable liquids are used or dispensed, first-aid fire appliances shall be provided in such quantities as public safety shall require. The number and type of appliances meeting the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for First-Aid Fire Appliances (Pamphlet No. 10) shall be deemed prima facie evidence of compliance with this section.
Heating and other devices using oil burners shall be installed, maintained and operated in accordance with nationally recognized standard practice as specified in § 95-12.