California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 20 - Flammable Liquids, Gases and Vapors
Article 147 - Bulk Plants
Section 5619 - Loading and Unloading Facilities

(a) Tank vehicle and tank car loading and unloading facilities shall be separated from aboveground tanks, warehouses, other plant buildings or nearest line of adjoining property that may be built upon by a distance of 25 feet for Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C), and 15 feet for Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint at or above 100°F (37.8 °C), Category 4 flammable liquids and liquids with a flashpoint greater than 199.4 °F (93 °C) (formerly designated Class IIIB Combustible liquids), measured from the nearest position of any fill spout. Buildings for pumps or shelters for personnel may be a part of the facility.

(b) Equipment such as piping, pumps, and meters used for the transfer of Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C), between storage tanks and the fill stem of the loading rack shall not be used for the transfer of Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint at or above 100 °F (37.8 °C), or Category 4 flammable liquids or liquids with a flashpoint greater than 199.4 °F (93 °C) (formerly designated Class IIIB Combustible liquids).

(c) Except for Category 4 flammable liquids and liquids with a flashpoint greater than 199.4 °F (93 °C) (formerly designated Class IIIB Combustible liquids), valves used for the final control for filling tank vehicles shall be of the self-closing type and manually held open except where automatic means are provided for shutting off the flow when the vehicle is full or after filling of a preset amount.

(d) Bonding facilities for protection against static sparks during the loading of tank vehicles though open domes shall be provided:

(e) Protection as required in (d) shall consist of a metallic bond wire permanently electrically connected to the fill stem or to some part of the rack structure in electrical contact with the fill stem. The free end of such wire shall be provided with a clamp or equivalent device for convenient attachment to some metallic part in electrical contact with the cargo tank of the tank vehicle.

(f) Such bonding connection shall be made fast to the vehicle or tank before dome covers are raised and shall remain in place until filling is completed and all dome covers have been closed and secured.

(g) Bonding as specified in (d), (e), and (f) is not required:

(h) Filling through open domes into the tanks of tank vehicles or tank cars, that contain vapor-air mixtures within the flammable range or where the liquid being filled can form such a mixture, shall be by means of a downspout which extends near the bottom of the tank. This precaution is not required when loading liquids which are nonaccumulators of static charges.

(i) Stray currents. Tank car loading facilities where Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C), are loaded or unloaded through open domes shall be protected against stray currents by permanently bonding the pipe to at least one rail and to the rack structure, if of metal. Multiple lines entering the rack area shall be permanently electrically bonded together. In addition, in areas where excessive stray currents are known to exist, all pipes entering the rack area shall be provided with insulating sections to electrically isolate the rack piping from the pipe lines. These precautions are not necessary where Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint at or above 100 °F (37.8 °C), Category 4 flammable liquids or liquids with a flashpoint greater than 199.4 °F (93 °C) (formerly designated Class IIIB Combustible liquids) are handled exclusively and there is no probability that tank cars will contain vapors from previous cargoes of Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C).

(j) Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C) shall not be dispensed into containers unless the nozzle or fill pipe and container are electrically interconnected. This can be accomplished by maintaining metallic contact during filling, by a bond wire between them, or by other conductive path having an electrical resistance not greater than 106 ohms.