California Code of Regulations
Title 19 - Public Safety
Division 1 - State Fire Marshal
Chapter 10 - Explosives
Subchapter 6 - Tables of Distances
Article 18 - Explosives
Section 1581 - Table of Distances for Storage of Explosives

Universal Citation: 19 CA Code of Regs 1581
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

Explosives

Distances In Feet When Storage Is Barricaded
Pounds Over Pounds Not Over Inhabited Buildings Passenger Railways Public Highways Separation of Magazines
2 5 70 30 30 6
5 10 90 35 35 8
10 20 110 45 45 10
20 30 125 50 50 11
30 40 140 55 55 12
40 50 150 60 60 14
50 75 170 70 70 15
75 100 190 75 75 16
100 125 200 80 80 18
125 150 215 85 85 19
150 200 235 95 95 21
200 250 255 105 105 23
250 300 270 110 110 24
300 400 295 120 120 27
400 500 320 130 130 29
500 600 340 135 135 31
600 700 355 145 145 32
700 800 375 150 150 33
800 900 390 155 155 35
900 1,000 400 160 160 36
1,000 1,200 425 170 165 39
1,200 1,400 450 180 170 41
1,400 1,600 470 190 175 43
1,600 1,800 490 195 180 44
1,800 2,000 505 205 185 45
2,000 2,500 545 220 190 49
2,500 3,000 580 235 195 52
3,000 4,000 635 255 210 58
4,000 5,000 685 275 225 61
5,000 6,000 730 295 235 65
6,000 7,000 770 310 245 68
7,000 8,000 800 320 250 72
8,000 9,000 835 335 255 75
9,000 10,000 865 345 260 78
10,000 12,000 875 370 270 82
12,000 14,000 885 390 275 87
14,000 16,000 900 405 280 90
16,000 18,000 940 420 285 94
18,000 20,000 975 435 290 98
20,000 25,000 1,055 470 315 105
25,000 30,000 1,130 500 340 112
30,000 35,000 1,205 525 360 119
35,000 40,000 1,275 550 380 124
40,000 45,000 1,340 570 400 129
45,000 50,000 1,400 590 420 135
50,000 55,000 1,460 610 440 140
55,000 60,000 1,515 630 455 145
60,000 65,000 1,565 645 470 150
65,000 70,000 1,610 660 485 155
70,000 75,000 1,655 675 500 160
75,000 80,000 1,695 690 510 165
80,000 85,000 1,730 705 520 170
85,000 90,000 1,760 720 530 175
90,000 95,000 1,790 730 540 180
95,000 100,000 1,815 745 545 185
100,000 110,000 1,835 770 550 195
110,000 120,000 1,855 790 555 205
120,000 130,000 1,875 810 560 215
130,000 140,000 1,890 835 565 225
140,000 150,000 1,900 850 570 235
150,000 160,000 1,935 870 580 245
160,000 170,000 1,965 890 590 255
170,000 180,000 1,990 905 600 265
180,000 190,000 2,010 920 605 275
190,000 200,000 2,030 935 610 285
200,000 210,000 2,055 955 620 295
210,000 230,000 2,100 980 635 315
230,000 250,000 2,155 1,010 650 335
250,000 275,000 2,215 1,040 670 360
275,000 300,000 2,275 1,075 690 385

Notes to Table of Distances for Storage of Explosives

NOTE:1--"Barricaded" means that a building containing explosives is effectually screened from a magazine, building, railway, or highway, either by a natural barricade, or by an artificial barricade of such height that a straight line from the top of any sidewall of the building containing explosives to the eave line of any magazine, or building, or to a point twelve feet above the center of a railway or highway, will pass through such intervening natural or artificial barricade.

NOTE:2--"Natural Barricade" means natural features of the ground, such as hills, or timber of sufficient density that the surrounding exposures which require protection cannot be seen from the magazine when the trees are bare of leaves.

NOTE:3--"Artificial Barricade" means an artificial mound or rivetted wall of earth of a minimum thickness of three feet.

NOTE:4--When a building containing explosives is not barricaded, the distances shown in the Table shall be doubled.

NOTE:5--When two or more storage magazines are located on the same property, each magazine must comply with the minimum distances specified from inhabited buildings, railways, and highways, and in addition, they should be separated from each other by not less than the distances shown for "Separation of Magazines," except that the quantity of explosives contained in cap magazines shall govern in regard to the spacing of said cap magazines from magazines containing other explosives. If any two or more magazines are separated from each other by less than the specified "Separation of Magazines" distances, then such two or more magazines, as a group, must be considered as one magazine, and the total quantity of explosives stored in such group must be treated as if stored in a single magazine located on the site of any magazine of the group, and must comply with the minimum of distances specified from other magazines, inhabited buildings, railways, and highways.

NOTE:6--The permanent storage of more than 300,000 pounds of commercial explosives in one magazine or in a group of magazines which is considered as one magazine is not permitted except by specific approval of the enforcing official.

NOTE:7--This table applies only to the manufacture and permanent storage of commercial explosives. It is not applicable to transportation of explosives, or any handling or temporary storage necessary or incident thereto. It is not intended to apply to bombs, projectiles, or other heavily encased explosives and small quantities in commercial establishments.

NOTE:8--All types of blasting caps in strengths through No. 8 cap shall be rated at 1 1/2 pounds of explosives per 1,000 caps. For strengths higher than No. 8 cap, consult the chief having jurisdiction.

NOTE:9--For quantity and distance purposes, detonating fuse up to 60 grains per foot, shall be calculated as equivalent to nine (9) pounds of high explosives per 1000 feet. Heavier cord loads shall be rated proportionally.

1. New Article 18 (Section 1581) filed 3-4-69; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 69, No. 10).

Note: Authority cited: Section 12081, Health and Safety Code, Reference: Sections 12000-12401 inclusive, Health and Safety Code.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. California may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.