15-26-010 Licenses, permits and special exit requirements.

   For licensing provisions and permit requirements, see Chapter 15-4. For special exit requirements, see Chapter 13-112.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

15-26-020 Definitions.

   For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply.

   Fume or Flammable Compressed Gas Building, Rooms and Gases.

      (a)   “Fume or flammable compressed gas building” means a building, or part of a building, designed, intended or used for the purpose of manufacturing, compressing or storing any fume hazard gas or any flammable compressed gas, either at a pressure of more than 15 pounds per square inch or in a quantity of more than 2,500 cubic feet.

      (b)   “Fume or flammable compressed gas room” means a room designed, intended or used for any of the purposes described under subsection (a) of this section and which is located in a building other than a fume or flammable compressed gas building.

      (c)   “Fume hazard gases” means ammonia gas, chlorine gas, phosgene gas, sulphur dioxide gas, chlororipicrin gas, cyanogen gas, hydrogen cyanide gas, nitrogen peroxide gas and other gas which has an equal or greater danger to life; and any other gas which, as determined by the committee on standards and tests, is in fact a poisonous irritant or corrosive gas and is not susceptible to fire or explosion, shall each be defined as a fume hazard gas.

      (d)   Flammable compressed gases, acetylene gas, ammonia gas, ether gas, ethyl chloride gas, ethylene gas, liquefied hydrocarbon gases, liquefied petroleum gases, hydrogen gas, illuminating gas, methyl chloride gas and any other gas which is a poisonous, irritant or corrosive gas and is also a gas susceptible to explosion under any condition or is not a poisonous, irritant or corrosive gas but is a gas susceptible to burning under any condition shall each be defined as a flammable compressed gas.

   Fume or Flammable Compressed Gas. No sprinkler system shall be required for any fume or flammable compressed gas building of Type IA, IB or IC construction, nor for any room intended for the storage and use of chlorine gas for no purpose other than the operation of a water purification plant or refrigerating unit, nor for any unit of noncombustible construction used exclusively for the production of manufactured gas.

   The following definitions shall apply to sections regulating liquefied petroleum gas only:

      1.   “Containers” means all vessels, such as tanks, cylinders or drums used for transportation or storing of liquefied petroleum gas.

      2.   “Capacity of container” means the amount of liquefied petroleum gas that a container will hold. For Interstate Commerce Commission or Department of Transportation approved containers, this is expressed in pounds of liquefied petroleum gas. For American Society of Mechanical Engineers approved containers, this is expressed in gallons of water capacity.

      3.   “Liquefied petroleum gas” means and includes any material which is composed predominately of any of the following hydrocarbons, or mixtures of them: propane, propylene, butane (normal butane or isobutane) and butylenes.

      4.   “Excess flow valve” means a valve intended to prevent a flow rate greater than the maximum preset flow rate.

      5.   “Filling density” means the ratio of the weight of gas in a container to the weight of water the container will hold at 60 degrees Fahrenheit expressed as a percentage.

      6.   “Safety relief valve” means a valve intended to open upon buildup of excess pressure in the container.

      7.   “Vaporizer” means a device intended to change liquefied petroleum gas from a liquid state to a gaseous state.

      8.   “Used” or “in use” means connected to a system for use.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

15-26-030 Manufactured gas buildings – Exempted from chapter requirements – When.

   Any building used exclusively for the production, distribution or storage of manufactured gas as a public utility shall be exempt from the requirements of this part of this chapter dealing with construction except the provisions of Section 15-24-170 for tanks for flammable liquids; provided, however, that such buildings shall be constructed, as provided in Section 13-104-020, entirely of noncombustible materials, with interior framing member either with or without fireproof covering.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

15-26-040 Public utility company rules.

   Every system of gas supplied by a public utility company shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the rules of that public utility company.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

15-26-050 Acetylene lighting prohibited.

   No system of artificial lighting and no lamp, torch or other device for illumination which employs acetylene shall be installed in any new or existing building.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

15-26-060 Portable acetylene lamps and stoves.

   It shall be unlawful to use portable self-generating acetylene lamps or stoves inside of any completed building in the city.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

ARTICLE II. BUILDINGS AND ROOMS (15-26-070 et seq.)

15-26-070 Construction requirements – Gasholders.

   General. Every fume or flammable compressed gas building shall be without any basement, except such a basement as is permitted for a hazardous chemical storage building.

   Fume Hazard Gases. Type IA, IB, IC, II, IIIA, IIIB or IIIC construction shall be used for any building in which any fume hazard gas is manufactured, compressed or stored; provided, however, that a building may be of any type of construction permissible respectively for an industrial unit or a storage unit under the provisions of this Code, where any gas is permitted to be stored or used on the premises. Every such building of Type IIIA, IIIB or IIIC construction should be not more than one story above grade in height and shall have no mezzanine unless such building is equipped throughout with a standard system of automatic sprinklers.

   Flammable Compressed Gases. Type IA, IB or IC construction shall be used for any building in which any flammable compressed gas is manufactured, compressed or stored; provided, however, that a building may be of any type of construction permissible respectively for an industrial unit or a storage unit under Chapter 13-48, where any such gas is permitted to be stored or used on the premises.

   Refrigerating Systems. Any mechanical refrigerating system built in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13-192 shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.

   Natural and/or Manufacturing Gas Holders. It shall be unlawful to take out of service any gas holders containing flammable compressed gases, or to make any connections thereto within the city without first notifying the building commissioner 24 hours in advance, and without first emptying and purging such gas holders of all explosive gases, and without first making a physical disconnection of all connecting piping, taking out sections thereof to make such disconnections. Before making such repairs, the contents of the gas holders shall be tested and the analysis of the mixture of air or inert gases therein shall be recorded and reported to the building commissioner. Every such gas holder or tank containing more than 2,500 cubic feet of gas shall be inspected at least once every five years by a recognized authority employed by the owner and approved by the building commissioner, and a report of all such inspections showing the condition of said gas holder or tank, together with a statement of necessary repairs and the further statement that such repairs have been made and that said gas holder or tank is in a good and safe condition with an expectancy that this condition will endure for the succeeding term of five years, shall be submitted to the building commissioner. A noncorrosive metal tag containing the date of every such inspection and approval shall be attached to each such gas holder following every such inspection. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to cylinders or containers meeting the requirements of the Interstate Commerce Commission regulations for interstate shipments.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)

 

Notes

13-192

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15-26-080 Fire-resistive separation.

   (a)   General. Every fume or flammable compressed gas room in a building of Type IA, IB or IC construction shall have an enclosure of two-hour fire- resistive construction, except as otherwise provided under this section. Every such room in a building of other than Type IA, IB or IC construction shall be enclosed by not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction; provided, however, that the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall prevail where inconsistent with this subsection.

   (b)   Water-Purifying Equipment. No corrosive, explosive, flammable, irritant, poisonous, toxic or other noxious gas in a quantity exceeding ten pounds, whether in a container, cylinder, piping or other water-purifying equipment, shall be permitted in any assembly unit. All containers, cylinders, piping or other equipment containing more than ten pounds of such gases named in this section in any other building, shall be located within a room or space having a four-hour fire-resistive enclosure. Any such room shall have no opening except to an open court, private alley, public way or other open space not less than 100 feet in area. Nothing in the provisions of this section shall be construed as prohibiting the location of such equipment in the same room with a furnace, boiler or other heat-producing unit or incinerator, if such room is made to comply with the provisions of this section.

   (c)   Cooling and Refrigerating Equipment. Any room or space used for cooling or refrigerating equipment shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 13-192 for refrigerating systems.

(Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-96, p. 15616)