Code of Colorado Regulations
1200 - Department of Agriculture
1202 - Inspection and Consumer Services Division
8 CCR 1202-5 - STORAGE AND HANDLING OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
Section 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1.1. These Rules apply to the design, construction, location, installation, and operation of anhydrous ammonia systems for storing, handling, transporting, and utilizing anhydrous ammonia as an agricultural fertilizer. They do not supersede any other Federal Statutes or Regulations not cited herein that may be applicable.

1.1.2. These Rules do not apply to:

1.2.1. Where the provisions of these Rules impose undue hardship or where the literal adherence to the provisions fails to provide adequate safety, the Commissioner may permit deviation from the Rules.

1.2.2. The term "anhydrous ammonia" as used in these Rules refers to the compound, formed by a combination of two gaseous elements, nitrogen and hydrogen, in the proportion of one part nitrogen to three parts hydrogen by volume. Anhydrous ammonia may be in either gaseous or liquid form. It is not to be confused with aqua ammonia which is a solution of ammonia gas in water. Whenever the term "ammonia" appears in these Rules, it means anhydrous ammonia.

1.2.3. It is important that personnel understand the properties of this gas and that they be thoroughly trained in safe practices for its storage and handling. Some of the important physical properties of ammonia are listed in 1.2.5.

1.2.4. Gaseous ammonia liquefies under pressure at ambient temperature. Advantage of this characteristic is taken by industry and for convenience this commodity is usually shipped and stored under pressure as a liquid. When refrigerated to or below its normal boiling point (-28ºF) it may be shipped and stored as a liquid at atmospheric pressure.

1.2.5. Physical Properties of Ammonia:

*One atmosphere = 14.7 psia.

1.2.6. Experience has shown that ammonia is extremely hard to ignite and under normal conditions is a very stable compound. It takes temperatures of 840-980ºF to cause it to dissociate slightly at atmospheric pressure. The flammable limits at atmospheric pressure are 16% to 25% by volume of ammonia in air. Experiments conducted by a nationally recognized laboratory indicated that an ammonia-air mixture in a standard quartz test container does not ignite below 1562ºF. Ammonia is classified by the United States Department of Transportation and the United States Coast Guard as a non-flammable compressed gas for the purpose of transportation.

1.2.7. Ammonia should be handled only by properly trained personnel. In no case should ammonia be used in conjunction with chemicals unless the possible reactions have first been adequately investigated. Under some circumstances ammonia and ammonium compounds can form explosive products with other chemicals.

1.2.8. Ammonia gas irritates the skin and mucous membrane. Its odor is detectable by most people. Since ammonia gas is lighter than air, adequate ventilation is the best means of preventing any accumulation.

1.2.9. Zinc, copper and copper base alloys such as brass are subject to rapid destructive action by ammonia in the presence of water.

1.3.1. The following standards are hereby incorporated by reference in these Rules:

1.3.2. A copy of the Official Publications of the above incorporated Standards shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours.

A copy of the official publication of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations shall also be kept at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington D.C. 20590 and is available online at: transportation.gov/regulations.

A copy of the official publication of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours. A copy of the official publication of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers shall also be kept at the ASME Headquarters, Two Park Avenue, New York NY 10016-5990 and is available online at: ASME.org

A copy of the official publication of The National Electrical Code shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours. A copy of the official publication of the National Electrical Code shall also be kept at The National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy Massachusetts 02169-7471 and is available online at: NFPA.org

A copy of the American Petroleum Institute Standards shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours. A copy of the official publication of the American Petroleum Institute Standards shall also be kept at the American Petroleum Institute, 200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, suite 1100, Washington D.C., 20001-5571 and is available online at: API.org.

A copy of the Compressed Gas Association Publication shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours. A copy of the official publication of the Compressed Gas Association shall also be kept at 14501 George Carter Way, suite 103, Chantilly, VA 20151 and is available online at: CGANET.com.

A copy of the American National Standards Institute's standards Publication shall be kept on file at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, located at 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield Colorado 80021, and shall be open to public inspection, and available for copying, during normal business hours. A copy of the official publication of the American National Standards Institute's Standards shall also be kept at ANSI headquarters, 1899 L Street NW, Washington D.C. 20036 and is available online at: ANSI.org.

1.4.1. "Approved" means:

1.4.2. "Appurtenance" refers to all devices such as safety relief devices, liquid level gauging devices, valves, pressure gauges, fittings, metering or dispensing devices.

1.4.3. "ASME" means American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

1.4.4. "Backflow check valve" means a device designed to prevent ammonia from flowing in the wrong direction within a pipe or tube.

1.4.5. "Capacity" refers to the total volume of the container measured in U.S. gallons, unless otherwise specified.

1.4.6. "Chemical-splash goggles" and "splash proof goggles" means flexible-fitting chemical-protective goggles, with a hooded, indirect ventilation system that provides protection to the eyes and eye sockets from the splash of hazardous liquids. This term shall not include direct vented goggles.

1.4.7. "Cylinder" means a container of 1000 pounds water capacity or less.

1.4.8. The "Code" refers to the Unfired Pressure Vessel Code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (Section VIII of the ASME Boiler Construction Code), 2015 edition.

1.4.9. "Container" includes all vessels, tanks, cylinders or spheres used for transportation, storage or application of anhydrous ammonia.

1.4.10. "Data plate" means a piece of non-corroding metal permanently attached by the manufacturer to the surface of a container.

1.4.11. "Densely populated area" means any location with either one or more multifamily housing units or eight or more single-family dwellings located within a quarter section.

1.4.12. "Design Pressure" is identical to the term "Maximum Allowable Working Pressure" used in the Code.

1.4.13. "Emergency shutoff valve" means a valve that stops the flow of product by spring closure, gravity, or pressure and can be activated by an outside means including a cable pull, hose pull, air assists, electrical closure or back pressure.

1.4.14. "Excess-flow valve" means a device placed in a line that is designed to close when the flow of vapor or liquid flowing through the line exceeds the amount for which the valve is rated.

1.4.15. An "Implement of Husbandry" is a farm wagon-type tank vehicle of not over 3000 gallons capacity, used as a field storage "nurse tank" supplying the fertilizer to a field applicator and moved on highways for bringing the fertilizer from a local source of supply to farms or fields or from one farm or field to another.

1.4.16. "Filling Density" means the percent ratio of the weight of the gas in a container to the weight of water at 60ºF that the container will hold. For determining the water capacity of the tank in pounds, the weight of a gallon (231 cubic inches) of water at 60ºF in air shall be 8.32828 pounds.

1.4.17. "Gas" refers to anhydrous ammonia in either the gaseous or liquefied state.

1.4.18. "DOT Regulations" refer to Hazardous Materials Regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Title 49-Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 171 to 190), including Specifications for Shipping Containers.

1.4.19. "Mobile container" means any container that is not installed as a permanent storage container.

1.4.20. "Non-code welding" means welding that does not comply with parts UW-1 through UW-65 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Sections VIII, Division 1, Titles "Parts UW: Requirements for Pressure Vessels Fabricated by Welding," 2015 edition.

1.4.21. "Permanent storage container" means a stationary container having a volume of at least 3,000 water gallons.

1.4.22. "Permanent storage facility" means a site that includes one or more permanent storage containers and their connections and appurtenances.

1.4.23. "Place of public assembly" means any building, structure or facility established to accommodate groups of people for commercial, civic, political, religious, recreational, educational, or other purposes. This term shall include buildings or structures used for medical care, including hospitals, assisted care facilities, and prisons.

1.4.24. "Systems" as used in these Rules refers to an assembly of equipment consisting essentially of the container or containers, appurtenances, pumps, compressors, and interconnecting piping.

1.4.25. The abbreviations "psig" and "psia" refer to pounds per square inch gauge and pounds per square inch absolute, respectively.

1.4.26. The terms "charging" and "filling" are used interchangeably and have the same meaning.

1.4.27. "Trailer" as used in these Rules refers to every vehicle designed for carrying persons or property while being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight except the towing device rests upon the towing vehicle.

1.4.28. "Tank Motor Vehicle" means any motor vehicle designed or used for the transportation of anhydrous ammonia in any tank designed to be permanently attached to any motor vehicle or any container not permanently attached to any motor vehicle which by reason of its size, construction or attachment to any motor vehicle must be loaded and/or unloaded without being removed from the motor vehicle.

1.4.29. "Semi-trailer" refers to every vehicle designed for carrying persons or property while being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle.

1.4.30. "Safety Relief Valve" refers to an automatic spring loaded or equivalent type pressure activated device for gas or vapor service characterized by pop action upon opening, sometimes referred to as a pop valve.

1.4.31. "Hydrostatic Relief Valve" refers to an automatic pressure activated valve for liquid service characterized by throttle or slow weep opening (non-pop action).