LPG, Flammable
Liquids, Toxic and
Corrosive Substances
LPG, Flammable
Liquids, Toxic and
Corrosive Substances
Safe Storage and Handling
Today’s focus is…
Dangerous substances under the Dangerous
Substances Act 1979 and Regulations that require
licensing, including:
Class 2.1
Class 3
Class 6
Class 8
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Flammable Liquids
Toxic substances
Corrosive substances
Prescribed requirements
• Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (DS Act) and
• Dangerous Substances Regulations 2002 (DS
Regulations)
Class 2 Flammable Gases
Division 2.1 – gases that can ignite in air on contact
with a source of ignition
Examples include propane, butane, acetylene and liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG)
Properties of LPG
• Odourless in natural state. Odourant is added as a safety
measure
• It is heavier than air so will sink and accumulate in low
points (pits, drains etc.)
• Liquid LPG can cause severe cold burns on exposed skin
LPG
When is a licence required?
A person may keep in any premises, without a licence the following
quantities of liquefied petroleum gas:
a) up to 250 kilograms contained in cylinder or tanks
b) any quantity provided contained in disposable non refillable
containers
Note: the quantity of LPG contained in cylinders or tanks will be
taken to be the total capacity of all cylinders or tanks stored on the
premise at any one time
How to comply…
• If you require a licence, you must comply with AS1596 The
storage and Handling of LP Gas
• Note. For under licence quantities, consideration should
still be given to the above standard.
Safe Storage of LPG
• OUTSIDE!!
• Ventilated- can be natural or mechanical
• Control ignition sources
• Cylinders should always be stored upright
• Cylinders, tanks and pipework needs to be protected from physical
impact
• Appropriate separation distances to protected places, doors,
ignition sources etc.
• Combustibles
Class 3 – Flammable
Liquids
Class 3 – liquids, the vapours of which can ignite in air on
contact with a source of ignition and /or generate a vapour,
forming a flammable mixture with air
Examples include petrol, alcohols, thinners, solvents,
lacquers
Properties of Flammable
Liquids
• Flammable liquids give off flammable vapours
• Under the right conditions, flammable vapours can ignite
• Heat can cause an increase in the amount of flammable
liquids emitted
Class 3- When is a licence
required?
A person may keep in any premises, without a licence
• up to 120 litres packing group I or II in no more than 60 litre packages
• up to 1200 litres of packing group III
• up to 5000 litres of packing group I or II and up to 5000 litres of
packing group III provided that the premises is rural and greater than
two hectares
• Any quantity of Class 3, Packing Group I or II provided that it is
contained in packaging which has a capacity not exceeding 5L and
where substances as packaged are manufactured products
• Any quantity of Class 3, Packing Group III provided that it is contained
in packaging which has a capacity not exceeding 25 litres and where
substances as packaged manufactured products
How to comply…
A person who keeps in any premises flammable liquids in
such a quantity that a licence is required, they must comply
with AS 1940 The Storage and handling of flammable and
combustible liquids
Note. For under licence quantities, consideration should still
be given to the above standard. It has a specific section on
minor storage
Safe Storage of Flammable
Liquids
• Control of ignition sources
• Ventilation
• Spill control
• Fire Safety/Prevention
• Control of temperature
• Bonding and grounding drums and associated equipment
during any transfer or decanting
Class 6 – Toxic substances
Class 6.1 – toxic substances likely to cause death or severe
injury to human or animal health if swallowed, inhaled or by
skin contact
Examples include calcium cyanide and lead arsenate
Class 8 – Corrosive substances
Class 8 – Solids or liquids able to cause with varying
severity, damage to living tissue, acidic or caustic in nature.
In the event of a leak, these substances can also damage or
destroy goods and materials or cause other hazards
Examples include: acids, sodium hydroxide
Toxic and Corrosives when
is a Licence required?
If
𝐿𝐼+𝑆𝐼 𝐿𝐼𝐼+𝑆𝐼𝐼
+
250
2000
LI
SI
LII
SII
LIII
SIII
+
𝐿𝐼𝐼𝐼+𝑆𝐼𝐼𝐼
5000
≤1
the volume in litres of liquids substances in packing group I
the mass in kg of solid substances in packing group I
the volume in litres of liquid substances in packing group II
the mass in kg of solid substances in packing group II
the volume in litres of liquid substances in packing group III
the volume in kg of solid substances in packing group III
A LICENCE IS NOT REQUIRED
How to comply
• Prescribed requirements in DS regulations
• There are requirements for small quantities (ie under licence
amounts) as well as licensable quantities.
• For further information
– Australian Standard AS3780 The Storage and Handling of
Corrosive Substances
– Australian Standard AS4452 The Storage and Handling of
Toxic Substances
Safe Storage of Toxic and
Corrosive Substances
• If storage requires a licence
 Protected from weather and secure
 Class diamond at entrance to store and premises
 Stored separately from incompatibles and food
(note: Not all Class 8s are compatible)
 Tanks and packaged stores must be bunded
 Spill equipment/Emergency equipment
Safe Storage of Toxic and
Corrosive Substances
• If storage doesn’t require a licence
 Protected from weather and secure
 For more than 50kg PGI, a Class diamond at entrance to
store
 Stored separately from incompatibles and food
 Any spills must be wholly contained on premises
 Spill equipment/Emergency equipment
Finally…
• Having a Dangerous Substances licence is not all that you
need if you store these types of chemicals in a workplace
• Still need to comply with the requirements of Work Health
and Safety Regulations (covered in an earlier session)
Further help?
• www.safework.sa.gov.au
• For copies of the Australian Standards:
www.standards.org.au