Pennsylvania Code
Title 34 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Part I - Department of Labor and Industry
Chapter 14a - STORAGE AND USE OF FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
Subchapter A - GENERAL PROVISIONS
OUTSIDE AND ABOVEGROUND STORAGE
Section 14a.1 - Relative location to property
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 38, September 21, 2024
(a) Tables. The following tables apply to relative location to property lines, public ways and other property:
TABLE 1
| Type of Tank | Protection | Minimum Distance in Feet From Property Line Which May be Built Upon, Including the Opposite Side of a Public Way | Minimum Distance in Feet From Nearest Side of Any Public Way or Nearest Building on Same Property (See Note) |
| Floating roof | Protection for exposures | 1/2 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 90 feet | 1/6 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 30 feet |
| None | Diameter of tank but need not exceed 175 feet | 1/6 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 30 feet | |
| Vertical with weak roof to shell seam | Approved foam or inerting system on the tank | 1/2 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 90 feet and shall not be less than 5 feet | 1/6 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 30 feet and shall not be less than 5 feet |
| Protection for exposures | Diameter of tank but need not exceed 175 feet | 1/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 60 feet | |
| None | 2 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 350 feet | 1/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 60 feet | |
| Horizontal and vertical with emergency relief venting to limit pressures to 21/2 psig | Approved inerting system on the tank or approved foam system on vertical tanks | 1/2 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 5 feet | 1/2 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 5 feet |
| Protection for exposures | Table 5 | Table 5 | |
| None | 2 times Table 5 | Table 5 |
NOTE-No pump or tank shall be placed within the legal right-of-way limits of any State highway or any highway under the jurisdiction of DOT.
TABLE 2
| Type of Tank | Protection | Minimum Distance in Feet From Property Line Which May be Built Upon, Including the Opposite Side of aPublic Way | Minimum Distance in Feet From Nearest Side of Any Public Way or Nearest Building on Same Property (See Note) |
| Any type | Protection for exposures | 1 1/2 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 25 feet | 1 1/2 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 25 feet |
| None | 3 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 50 feet | 1 1/2 times Table 5 but shall not be less than 25 feet |
Note-No pump or tank shall be placed within the legal right-of-way limits of any State highway or any highway under the jurisdiction of DOT.
TABLE 3
| Type of Tank | Protection | Minimum Distance in Feet From Property Line Which May be Built Upon, Including the Opposite Side of a Public Way | Minimum Distance in Feet From Nearest Side of Any Public Way or Nearest Building on Same Property (See Note) |
| Floating roof | Protection for exposures | Diameter of tank but need not exceed 175 feet | 1/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 60 feet |
| None | 2 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 350 feet | 1/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 60 feet | |
| Approved foam or inerting system | Diameter of tank but need not exceed 175 feet | 1/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 60 feet | |
| Fixed roof | Protection for exposures | 2 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 350 feet | 2/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 120 feet |
| None | 4 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 350 feet | 2/3 times diameter of tank but need not exceed 120 feet |
Note-No pump or tank shall be placed within the legal right-of-way limits of any State highway or any highway under the jurisdiction of DOT.
TABLE 4
| Type of Tank | Protection | Minimum Distance in Feet From Property Line Which May be Built Upon, Including the Opposite Side of a Public Way | Minimum Distance in Feet From Nearest Side of Any Public Way or Nearest Building on Same Property (See Note) |
| Horizontal and vertical tanks with emergency relief venting to permit pressure not in excess of 21/2 psig | Tank protected with any one of the following: approved water spray, approved inerting, approved insulation and refrigeration, approved barricade | Table 5 but not less than 25 feet | Not less than 25 feet |
| Protection for exposures | 2 1/2 times Table 5 but not less than 50 feet | Not less than 50 feet | |
| None | 5 times Table 5 but not less than 100 feet | Not less than 100 feet | |
| Horizontal and vertical tanks with emergency relief venting to permit pressure over 21/2 psig | Tank protected with any one of the following: approved water spray, approved inerting, approved insulation and refrigeration, approved barricade | 2 times Table 5 but not less than 50 feet | Not less than 50 feet |
| Protection for exposures | 4 times Table 5 but not less than 100 feet | Not less than 100 feet | |
| None | 8 times Table 5 but not less than 150 feet | Not less than 150 feet |
Note-No pump or tank shall be placed within the legal right-of-way limits of any State highway or any highway under the jurisdiction of DOT.
TABLE 5
| Capacity of Tank (in gallons) | Minimum Distance in Feet From Property Line Which May be Built Upon, Including the Opposite Side of a Public Way | Minimum Distance in Feet From Nearest Side of Any Public Way or Nearest Building on Same Property See Note) |
| 275 or less | 5 | 5 |
| 276 to 750 | 10 | 5 |
| 751 to 12,000 | 15 | 5 |
| 12,001 to 30,000 | 20 | 5 |
| 30,001 to 50,000 | 30 | 10 |
| 50,001 to 100,000 | 50 | 15 |
| 100,001 to 500,000 | 80 | 25 |
| 500,001 to 1,000,000 | 100 | 35 |
| 1,000,001 to 2,000,000 | 135 | 45 |
| 2,000,001 to 3,000,000 | 165 | 55 |
| 3,000,001 or more | 175 | 60 |
NOTE-No pump or tank shall be placed within the legal right-of-way limits of any State highway or any highway under the jurisdiction of DOT.
(b) Exposure of property. If end failure of horizontal tanks may expose property, the tank shall be placed with the longitudinal axis parallel to the more severe exposure.
(c) Common boundaries of diversely-owned property. If two tank locations of diverse ownership have a common boundary, the fire marshal may, with written consent of the owners of the two properties, substitute the distances set forth in § 14a.2 (relating to spacing between aboveground tanks), for the minimum distances set forth in this section.
(d) Consideration for special conditions. These provisions may be altered in particular installations so as to be less restrictive or more restrictive at the discretion of the fire marshal after consideration of special features such as, but not restricted to, topographical conditions, nature of occupancy, proximity to buildings on adjoining property, height and character of construction of such buildings, capacity and construction of proposed tanks and character of liquids to be stored, degree of private fire protection to be provided, and facilities of the fire department to cope with flammable or combustible liquid fires.
(e) Application of this section. The provisions set forth in Tables 1-5 apply to distances between tanks and buildings on the property where installation is made.
(f) Protection for exposures. When such term is used in Tables 1-5, protection for exposures shall mean fire protection for structures on property adjacent to tanks. Structures located within the jurisdiction of any public fire department or within or adjacent to plants having private fire brigades shall be considered as having adequate protection for exposures.
(g) Requirements for fire prevention. If the required distance between tanks and buildings on the property where installation is made is greater than ten feet for tanks operated at pressures not in excess of 2 1/2 psig and used for storage of liquids other than those with boilover or unstable characteristics, such tanks may be closer to buildings than as set forth in Tables 1 and 5 but not less than 10 feet, if such buildings are of noncombustible construction, including resistive roof, with no openings on the side or sides facing the tanks. In the alternative, if openings would be present, wire glass in metal frame, fire shutters, or fire doors shall be acceptable on such openings.
(h) Skid tanks, similar portable equipment and drums are prohibited except when placed on farm and other isolated property for use in connection with farm equipment; or for private purposes only; or when use of such tanks or drums will be of purely temporary duration in connection with contract work such as road construction, strip mining and other transient operations where conventional type equipment would not be reasonably feasible or practicable; however, individual tanks shall not exceed 1,000 gallons capacity for storage of class I liquids, nor be in excess of 2,000 gallons capacity for storage of class II and class III liquids. Individual drums shall not exceed 60 gallons capacity. Individual tanks, similar portable equipment or drums shall not be interconnected and shall be kept closed when not in use.
(i) Aboveground tanks shall not be located within 200 feet of any underground mine opening.
This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 14a.33 (relating to Class II and Class III liquids); 34 Pa. Code § 14a.46 (relating to storage outside of buildings); 34 Pa. Code § 14a.105 (relating to loading and unloading); 34 Pa. Code § 14a.111 (relating to storage and handling); 34 Pa. Code § 14a.141 (relating to scope and application); 34 Pa. Code § 14a.151 (relating to scope and application); and 34 Pa. Code § 14a.161 (relating to general provisions).
