Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
The National Fire Protection Association, Inc., NFPA 58-1995, Standard for the Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases, is amended to meet the needs of Connecticut as follows:
CHAPTER 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
(Amd) 1-5. Qualification of Personnel. In the interest of safety, all persons employed in the liquid transfer of LP-Gases at a bulk plant, industrial plant, or LP-Gas dispensing station, and employees involved in the commercial transportation or movement of LP-Gas by any mode, responsible for the operation or maintenance of LP-Gas systems including containers, shall be trained by the employer in the physical hazards of the LP-Gases; system and equipment operation and maintenance requirements; and emergency procedures, which the employer shall document. Retraining shall be required at least once every two years.
(Add) 1-6 add the following new definitions as appropriate:
Cylinder Exchange Points. The portion of a dealer or resale facility open to the public where cylinders, whether filled, partially filled or empty are received and stored for the primary purpose of exchange of cylinders between the dealer, reseller and consumer.
Fleet Vehicle LP-Gas Automotive Service Stations. That portion of a commercial, industrial, governmental, or manufacturing property where liquefied petroleum gases used as fuels are stored and dispensed into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles that are used in connection with such businesses, by persons within the employ of such businesses.
Public LP-Gas Automotive Service Stations. LP-Gas dispensing facilities open to the general motoring public with at least one attendant on duty while the station is open for business to store and dispense LP-Gas into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles.
CHAPTER 2 LP-GAS EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES
(Amd) 2-2.6.6 LP-Gas fuel suppliers shall affix and maintain in a legible condition, their firm names and emergency telephone numbers in a readily visible location on or near LP-Gas supplier-owned Department of Transportation (DOT) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) containers installed at consumer premises.
(a) Effective July 1, 1997, the firm name and emergency telephone number on ASME containers shall be in text at least one half inch in height.
(b) Effective July 1, 1997, the emergency telephone numbers shall be staffed 24 hours a day to ensure that the LP-Gas supplier is available in the event of an emergency at the consumer premises.
(Add) 2-2.6.7 The owner of a new ASME container, installing a new ASME container on and after the effective date of these regulations, shall maintain written records of the data report issued by the manufacturer and the information required in Section 2-2.6.5 at its place of business during the period of ownership of said container and for a period of one year after transfer, sale or disposal of said container.
(Add) 2-3.1.5 Container appurtenances, such as pressure relief devices, container shutoff valves, back-flow check valves, internal valves, excess-flow check valves, and liquid level gauges connected to a DOT or ASME container shall be maintained in operating condition at all times to provide the service for which they were designed and installed.
CHAPTER 3 INSTALLATION OF LP-GAS SYSTEMS
(Amd) 3-2.4.1(c) To minimize the possibility of damage to systems or DOT or ASME container(s) installed in any location exposed to vehicular traffic, such as in or near parking lots, entrances to driveways, streets or construction sites, the systems and containers shall be protected from motor vehicles and other motorized equipment including but not limited to cranes, forklift operations and other common hazards by means of a non-combustible peripheral fence, guard rail or post of metal or concrete, building walls, or natural or artificial barriers enclosing containers and piping.
The presence of such protection from damage shall not create significant hazards such as pocketing of LP-Gas, interference with application of cooling water by fire departments, redirection of flames against containers and impeding egress of personnel in an emergency.
(Amd) 3-9.3.8 Dispenser Protection from Vehicle Impact.
(a) Dispensing devices, public and fleet vehicle, remote from and not a part of a storage and dispensing unit mounted on a common base installed in accordance with Sections 3-2.4.2(a)3 and 2-2.5.2(a), shall be installed in accordance with any dispenser vehicle collision requirements of the manufacturer and mounted on and bolted to a concrete island, a minimum of 8 inches adjacent to ground level and protected with concrete filled steel bollards, a minimum of 6 inches diameter schedule 80 steel, installed a minimum of 3 feet below grade and extending a minimum of 4 feet above grade, located to protect the dispenser from damage by vehicle impact.
(b) Dispensing devices, public and fleet vehicle, attached to or a part of a storage and dispensing unit mounted on a common base shall be installed in accordance with Sections 3-2.4.2(a)3 and 2-2.5.2(a) and shall be protected in accordance with vehicle collision installation requirements of the manufacturer or protected with concrete filled steel bollards, a minimum of 6 inches diameter schedule 80 steel, installed a minimum of 3 feet below grade and extending a minimum of 4 feet above grade, located to protect the dispenser from damage by vehicle impact.
(Amd) 3-9.4.3 Dispensing devices used to fill the fuel tanks of motor vehicles with LP-Gas shall be located at least 20 ft (6m) from cylinder exchange points and dispensing devices for Class I flammable liquids, liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and dispensing devices used to fill portable containers with home heating fuels.
(Add) 3-9.5 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LP-GAS) Automotive Public and Fleet Service Stations.
(Add) 3-9.5.1 Public LP-Gas Automotive Service Stations. Public LP-GAS automotive service stations shall have an attendant on duty trained in accordance with Section 1-5 to dispense LP-Gases into the fuel containers used to power a motor vehicle.
(Add) 3-9.5.2 Fleet Vehicle (LP-GAS) Automotive Service Stations.
(a) Fleet vehicle automotive service stations do not require a trained attendant on duty during dispensing of LP-Gas into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles.
(b) When a person or employee of a company, fleet, commercial, industrial, governmental or manufacturing establishment fuels a motor vehicle used for business purposes at an unattended fleet vehicle service station not owned or operated by said person(s), the owner of the fleet vehicle service station shall be responsible for training the person(s) using his or her facility in accordance with Section 1-5. Evidence of such training shall be documented and available for inspection.
(c) If an attendant is on duty, the attendant shall be responsible for the proper observation, supervision and control of the dispensing of LP-Gases into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles.
(1) The dispensing area shall at all times be in clear view of the attendant. The placing or allowing of any impairment of the view of the attendant shall be prohibited.
(2) The use of a closed circuit television camera system is authorized to supplement the attendant's view of the dispensing area. However, the use of such a closed circuit television camera system shall require the approval of the local fire marshal prior to such installation or use.
(3) The attendant shall at all times be able to communicate by voice with persons in the dispensing area.
(d) A fleet vehicle service station dispensing area shall be suitably illuminated by a reliable light source when in use.
(Add) 3-9.5.3 Signs. Warning signs with the words "STOP MOTOR," "NO SMOKING," "NO OPEN FLAMES PERMITTED," AND "FLAMMABLE GAS" in English at least 1 inch in height with a contrasting background shall be posted at all dispensing locations. The location of warning signs shall be based on local conditions but shall be visible and legible from the point of liquid transfer into the motor vehicle.
(Add) 3-9.5.4 Marking Of Dispensing Devices When Liquids And Other Gaseous Motor Fuels Are Dispensed. Warning signs identifying the type of motor fuel shall be posted at all dispensing devices where both liquefied petroleum gas and liquid or other gaseous motor fuels are dispensed into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles. Liquid motor fuels include gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene. Other gaseous motor fuels include compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Each warning sign shall be at least 3 feet above adjacent ground level and identify the fuel in English in letters at least 3 1/2 inches in height with a contrasting margin. The name of the fuel shall not be abbreviated. The contrasting margin shall be at least 2 inches from said letters. The warning signs shall be marked as follows:
(a) "Liquefied Petroleum Gas" or "LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS" or "Propane" or "PROPANE," shall be centered in black letters with a yellow background.
(b) "Compressed Natural Gas" or "COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS," shall appear in black letters with a yellow background.
(c) "Liquefied Natural Gas" or "LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS," shall appear in black letters with a yellow background.
(d) The common name of a flammable liquid, such as "Gasoline" or "GASOLINE," shall appear in white letters with a red background.
(e) The common name of a combustible liquid, such as "Diesel Fuel" or "DIESEL FUEL" or "Kerosene" or "KEROSENE," shall appear in white letters with a green background.
(Add) 3-10.4 Written Emergency Plans. The fire safety analysis referred to in Section 3-10.2.3 and the special fire protection provisions of Section 3-10.3, if required at the facility, shall be incorporated into a facility emergency plan which shall be in writing and amended as required every two years. Written documentation of the current emergency plan shall be maintained at the facility and shall be provided upon written request to the local fire marshal and emergency response agencies.
CHAPTER 4 LP-GAS LIQUID TRANSFER
(Amd) 4-2.2 Cylinders or Tanks to be Filled, Evacuated, Disconnected or Transported and Disconnecting Regulator(s).
(Amd) 4-2.2.1 Cylinders or tanks shall be filled, evacuated, disconnected or transported and regulator(s) disconnected only by the owner or upon the owner's authorization. At consumer premises where the fixed container is owned by the LP Gas supplier, no person other than the owner and those authorized by the owner shall connect or disconnect any cylinder or tank or regulator(s) containing liquefied petroleum gas, whether in the liquid or vapor state unless the following requirements are met:
(a) Sufficient notice shall be given to the LP-Gas supplier to disconnect and remove its cylinder or tank or regulator(s) prior to the installation of another cylinder or tank by the person, firm, corporation or LP-Gas supplier requesting the disconnection. Sufficient notice shall be in writing received by the LP-Gas supplier or owner a minimum of four business days prior to the scheduled disconnection on the fourth day. Written notice shall include the person, firm, corporation or LP-Gas supplier requesting the disconnection, the address and name of the consumer, and the scheduled date and time of disconnection. Disconnection by the owner or the owner's authorized agent shall be coordinated so as not to cause an interruption of service greater than the time required to disconnect the notified supplier's equipment and reconnect the replacement equipment of the notifying owner, unless the user authorizes an extended interruption of service to the notified supplier.
(b) After providing sufficient notice, the person, firm, corporation or LP-Gas supplier requesting disconnection or transportation may then disconnect the LP-Gas supplier-owned cylinder(s), tank(s) or regulator(s) downstream of a meter or upstream of a non-LP-Gas supplier or downstream of a regulator(s) owned by the LP-Gas supplier if connected to the gas stream, in a manner that renders the cylinder or tank free of leaks, with valves turned off and all openings plugged, and move on the consumer premises the cylinder(s) or tank(s), whether empty or full, to a safe location meeting the separation distance requirements between tanks and cylinders in Table 3-2.2.2.
(c) No person, firm or corporation, other than the owner and those authorized to do so, shall transport or carry by any means of conveyance whatsoever over public highways and roads, any cylinder or tank containing liquefied petroleum gas, whether in the liquid or vapor state.
(d) The owner of the cylinder or tank shall remove the disconnected cylinder, tank or regulator(s) from the consumer premises within 15 business days after the actual date and time of disconnection.
(e) If the person, firm, corporation or LP-Gas supplier who requested disconnection does not disconnect the cylinder(s), tank(s) or regulator(s) on the day of the scheduled disconnection, the person, firm, corporation or LP-Gas supplier shall be required to reschedule the disconnection giving sufficient notice to the owner of the cylinder(s), tank(s) or regulator(s) as described in Section 4-2.2.1 (a).
(f) In the event of an emergency such as the need for domestic heating during extreme cold weather conditions, leak or fire involving a cylinder, tank or regulator(s), an LP-Gas supplier is authorized to disconnect or evacuate the cylinder or tank at the direction of a public emergency response agency such as the fire department.
(Amd) 4-3.3 Emergency Venting. When conditions at any location indicate the need for emergency venting of LP-Gas into the environment, the local fire department within that jurisdiction or a regional fire dispatching facility shall be notified prior to any emergency venting activities.
(Amd) CHAPTER 5 STORAGE OF PORTABLE CONTAINERS AWAITING USE, RESALE OR EXCHANGE
(Amd) 5-4.1 Location of Storage Outside of Buildings.
Storage outside of buildings for containers awaiting use, resale or part of a cylinder exchange point shall be located at least 10 feet from any doorway or opening in a building frequented by the public; 20 feet from any automotive service station fuel dispenser and in accordance with Table 5-4.1 with respect to:
(a) Nearest important building or group of buildings;
(b) Line of adjoining property that may be built upon;
(c) Busy thoroughfares or sidewalks;
(d) Line of adjoining property occupied by schools, churches, hospitals, athletic fields, or other points of public gathering;
(e) Dispensing station.
Exception: Cylinders in the filling process shall not be considered to be in storage.
(Amd) 5-4.2.2 To minimize the possibility of damage to systems, where DOT or ASME container(s) are stored in any location exposed to vehicular traffic, such as in or near parking lots, entrances to driveways, streets or construction sites, the systems and containers shall be protected from motor vehicles and other motorized equipment including but not limited to cranes, forklift operations and other common hazards by means of a non-combustible peripheral fence, guardrail or post of metal or concrete, building walls, or natural or artificial barriers enclosing containers and piping.The presence of such protection from damage shall not create significant hazards such as pocketing of LP-Gas, interference with application of cooling water by fire departments, redirection of flames against containers and impeding egress of personnel in an emergency.
CHAPTER 8 ENGINE FUEL SYSTEMS
(Amd) 8-1.1 This chapter applies to fuel systems and the use of LP-Gas as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Included are provisions for containers, container appurtenances, carburetion equipment, piping, hose and fittings and provisions for their installation. This chapter covers engine fuel systems for engines installed on vehicles for any purpose, as well as fuel systems for stationary and portable engines. It also includes provisions for garaging vehicles upon which such systems are installed.
Note: See Section 3-8 for systems on vehicles for purposes other than engine fuel.
(Adopted effective January 24, 1997)