(a) Piping used for flammable liquid shall be suitable for the pressure to which it will be subjected. For working pressures in excess of one hundred (100) psi, approved heavy fittings shall be used.
(b) Before being placed in service, all piping shall be tested at a pressure not less than twice the pressure to which it will be subjected in use, and such tests shall be made in the presence of an authorized representative of the Division of Fire.
(c) Defective or leaking piping shall be made tight immediately or replaced.
(d) All piping shall be firmly supported. Outside exposed piping shall be protected against mechanical injury and shall be so located and arranged or diked that a break in the piping or leakage will be unlikely to result in flammable liquid flowing onto adjacent property, streets, alleys, thoroughfares, railroads, streams or into public sewers or against buildings.
(e) All piping and pumps shall be effectively grounded. All flanged gasketted connections which would otherwise prevent effective grounding of the pipe shall be jumpered and electrically bonded across the flange. The resistance to earth of any grounding connection shall not exceed five (5) ohms.
(f) Piping carrying flammable liquid with a flash point of one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (100°F) or less, unless without joints or connections, shall not extend through any room in which there is an open flame.
(g) The ends of filling pipes for underground or inside storage tanks for flammable liquid with a flash point of one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (100°F) or less shall be in approved locations outside of any building and not less than ten (10) feet from any entrance door or cellar opening, and shall be closed by a tight sealing cap.
(h) The terminals of vent pipes from tanks containing flammable liquid with a flash point of one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (100°F) or less shall be located outdoors above the liquid level of the highest reservoir from which the tank may be filled and not less than twelve (12) feet above grade level for outside underground tanks and not less than twelve (12) feet above the fill opening for other tanks, shall not discharge downward, and when deemed necessary by the Fire Chief, shall be equipped with approved flame arresters or with approved normally-closed vacuum and pressure relief devices.
(i) The terminals of vent pipes from tanks containing flammable liquid with a flash point over one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (100°F) shall be located in a safe location above the liquid level of the highest reservoir from which the tank may be filled, and may be equipped with a return bend or approved weather cap or flame arrester. Unless otherwise specifically approved by the Chief, such vent terminal shall be located outdoors.
(j) All vent pipe terminals located outdoors shall be not less than six (6) feet from and not directly below any door, window or other opening in the exterior wall of a building and shall not be located where flammable vapor may be trapped under eaves or other projections.
(k) Deliveries of flammable liquid of Class I or Class II, wherever practical, shall be made directly to the storage tank through the filling pipe by means of a hose or pipe between the filling pipe and the barrel, tank truck or tank car from which such liquid is drawn.
(l) Except as permitted in subsection (n) hereof, or by special ruling of the Chief, flammable liquid shall be drawn for discharge from tanks only by means of approved pumps so constructed as to prevent leaking or splashing, with controlling apparatus and piping so arranged as to allow control of the amount of discharge and prevent leakage. When inside a building, the pump or other approved drawing-off device for Class I or II liquid shall, wherever practicable, be above the grade level, and preferably near an entrance or other source of positive ventilation.
(m) Except as permitted in subsection (n) hereof, no tank, drum or other container inside a building, or discharging inside a building, shall be provided with a faucet or other bottom-drawing device which will permit the gravity flow of liquid inside the building, and the discharge pipes shall not terminate at a point lower than the level of the source of supply.
(n) In specific instances, where deemed necessary for the manufacturing process, the Chief may approve the gravity discharge of flammable liquid in refineries and in manufacturing or jobbing plants when adequate and approved safeguards are provided. In any plant, when approved safeguards are provided, the Chief may also approve the gravity discharge of Class II or Class III liquid of a nature which does not permit pumping.
(o) Where gravity discharge of Class I liquid from tanks or containers located within a building is permitted, the contents of such tanks or containers shall be sufficient only for one (1) day’s operations. Such tanks or containers shall be stored and drawn from in a room conforming to the applicable provisions of Section 3129.43(c). However, the limitations and restrictions of this subsection (o) shall not apply in a building adequately isolated from adjacent buildings and occupied by only one (1) tenant, and used for manufacturing or processing flammable liquid.
(p) All drawing-off pipes from underground tanks and from outside above-ground tanks terminating inside of any building shall have valves at the discharge end, and a second valve located at a suitable remote point in the line for use in an emergency.
(q) Where tanks are above ground there shall be a valve located near the tank in each pipe. In case two (2) or more tanks are cross-connected there shall be a valve near each tank in each cross-connection.
(r) Except where specifically permitted and approved by the Chief, tanks containing flammable liquids of different classifications shall not be interconnected, or connected into a common header.
(s) At each pipeline connected below the liquid level to an above-ground storage tank for flammable liquid there shall be, in addition to the valves required by subsection (q) hereof, an emergency internal check valve installed on the inside of the tank and operable both manually and by an effective heat releasing device which will automatically prevent the flow of liquid from the tank in the event of fire even when pipe lines are broken from the tank. However, the Chief may permit the omission of such valves on tanks at refineries, on tanks equipped with an approved swing line, tanks where the transfer of products between tanks in the event of fire is practical and tanks where such valves would interfere with operation of the planned emergency procedure approved by the Chief.
(t) Whenever practicable, all valves on or adjacent to tanks for flammable liquid and located below the normal liquid level in the tank shall be of steel. Whenever steel valves cannot be used because of the character of the flammable liquid, valves which have less resistance to fire than steel valves shall be insulated and protected against fire as directed or approved by the Division.
(u) All gate valves on or adjacent to tanks used to control the flow of liquid to or from tanks shall be of the outside-screw-and-yoke type.
(v) Pumps delivering to or taking supply from above-ground storage tanks shall be provided with valves on both suction and discharge of pump, and when delivering to tanks, a check valve to prevent backflow of liquid. No internal combustion engines, and no electric motors except approved explosion-proof motors, shall be placed beneath tanks or elsewhere within the line of vapor travel.
(w) Compressed air or gas shall only be used for transporting flammable liquid when suitable approved safeguards are provided and then only when specifically approved by the Chief.
(Ord. No. 991-49. Passed 6-27-49, eff. 6-27-49)