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Liquefied Petroleum Gases Bulk Storage Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1152)

Regulations are current to 2024-03-06 and last amended on 2015-06-18. Previous Versions

PART VSafety Relief Devices

 A cylinder or tank with a water capacity not exceeding 100 Imperial gallons and manufactured, filled, operated and maintained in accordance with a Canadian Transport Commission or an Interstate Commerce Commission specification, which is approved by either of these authorities for liquefied petroleum gas use, is exempt from the provisions of this Part.

  •  (1) Every storage tank and vapourizer (except as provided in Part VII) shall be provided with one or more safety relief valves of the spring loaded type or an equivalent type which have been approved for the intended service by the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Committee of the A.S.M.E. or the Compressed Gas Association, Inc. or Underwriters’ Laboratories.

  • (2) Such valves shall be of a size that will ensure a rate of discharge not less than specified in the current edition of National Fire Protection Association’s Pamphlet No. 58.

  • (3) The rate of discharge prescribed in subsection (2) shall be obtained before the pressure is in excess of 120 per cent of the maximum (not including the permitted plus tolerance of 10 per cent) permitted start to discharge pressure setting of the device.

  • (4) Safety relief valves shall be installed in a manner that will ensure that the full relief requirements are always satisfied.

  • (5) Storage tank and vapourizer safety relief valves shall be set to start to discharge at pressures as prescribed in the current edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s Pamphlet No. 58 for vessels designed according to the A.S.M.E. Code.

 A safety relief valve venting to the outside atmosphere shall be installed between each pair of shut-off valves on liquefied petroleum gas liquid lines where liquid may be trapped.  The start to discharge pressure setting shall not be in excess of 5000 psig.  The minimum setting shall not be lower than 140 per cent of the container relief valve setting, except that for 1.C.C. or B.T.C. containers, the minimum setting shall not be lower than 400 psig.

  •  (1) For tanks exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons water capacity, the discharge from tank safety relief devices shall be vented vertically to the outside atmosphere at a point not less than 7 feet above the storage tank.  Such discharge should be at least 100 feet and in no case shall it be less than 50 feet from any open flame or source of ignition.

  • (2) For tanks with a water capacity of 2,000 Imperial gallons or less, the discharge from safety relief devices shall be vented vertically to the outside atmosphere in a manner that will prevent the gases from impinging on the tank.

  • (3) The ends of relief valve discharge pipes shall be fitted with loose rain caps that cannot freeze in place.

  • (4) All storage tank relief devices shall be located on the storage tank and shall have direct communication with the vapour space of the storage tank.

  • (5) If the design of the safety relief system is such that liquid can collect on the discharge side of the disc, provision shall be made for drainage of the liquid.

  • (6) Return bends and restrictive pipe fittings are not permitted in relief valve piping.

  • (7) Safety relief devices shall be so arranged that the possibility of tampering will be minimized.

  • (8) External pressure settings or adjustments shall be sealed.

 The safety relief device shall be permanently marked or labelled with the following information:

  • (a) start to discharge pressure in psig;

  • (b) full-open rate of discharge in c.f.m. of air at 60°F and 14.7 psia;

  • (c) manufacturer’s name or symbol;

  • (d) year of manufacture;

  • (e) letters “LPG” to indicate suitability for liquefied petroleum gas service; and

  • (f) A.S.M.E. or Compressed Gas Association or Underwriters’ Laboratories approval symbol.

 Safety relief valves and devices shall be inspected and tested prior to being put into service and shall be tested periodically as prescribed in the Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet Safety Relief Device Standards for Compressed Gas Storage Containers.

PART VILoading and Unloading

  •  (1) The tank car, during loading and unloading operations, shall be protected on the connected end or ends of the siding by a sign of metal or other suitable material 12 inches by 15 inches in size and reading “STOP — TANK CAR CONNECTED”. The word “stop” shall be in letters at least 4 inches high and the other words in letters at least 2 inches high. Letters shall be white on a blue background.

  • (2) The “Stop” sign shall be placed on the tank car or on the loading or unloading track in a manner that will ensure it is always visible to the crew of an engine on the same track.

  •  (1) During loading or unloading operations, tank car hand brakes shall be kept applied and the wheels at both ends of the tank car shall be blocked.

  • (2) Tank cars shall be disconnected from pipelines immediately after the completion of loading or unloading operations.

  • (3) At least one experienced operator supplied by the consignee or the consignor, as the case may be, shall supervise the loading or unloading operation.  During the absence of the operator supervising the loading or unloading operation from the installation site, operations shall be discontinued.

  • (4) Gas or liquid shall not be vented to the atmosphere to assist in transferring the contents of one container to another.

  • (5) Loading or unloading operations shall only be carried out during the hours of daylight unless adequate permanent lighting installed in accordance with section 69 is provided.

 The direct transfer of liquefied petroleum gas between tank trucks and tank cars on carrier’s right-of-way is prohibited.

 All loading and unloading tracks shall be grounded and bonded at the loading and unloading site in accordance with the Electric Sparks Prevention Regulations.

 The loading and unloading of tank cars located on carrier’s tracks are subject to the following conditions:

  • (a) except as provided in paragraph (c), tank car discharge connections shall be equipped with excess flow valves;

  • (b) lading shall be piped directly to permanent storage tanks of sufficient capacity to receive the entire contents of the tank car; the tanks and all of the facilities associated with them shall be in accordance with all applicable provisions of these Regulations;

  • (c) tank cars of the I.C.C. 106A type may be loaded or unloaded on carrier’s track if written permission is obtained from the carrier concerned and equipment is provided for the safe loading or unloading of the unit tanks, but such tanks shall not be stored on carrier’s property except as provided in these Regulations; and

  • (d) when the carrier’s track is a team track, it is recommended that, where practicable, the tank car be protected during loading or unloading by a locked derail located at least one car length from the tank car on the connected end or ends of the team track.

PART VIIVapourizers

 Except as otherwise provided in this Part, vapourizer design, location, construction and operation shall be in accordance with the current edition of National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet No. 58.

 Vapourizers, heating devices for vapourizers, and vapourizers buildings shall be separated from loading and unloading sites, tanks, location on an adjoining property which may be built upon or other buildings by distances not less than the following:

  • (a) indirect fired vapourizers, 10 feet;

  • (b) heating devices for indirect fired vapourizers, 25 feet;

  • (c) direct fired vapourizers, with a capacity of 100 gallons per hour or less, 25 feet; and

  • (d) direct fired vapourizers with a capacity exceeding 100 gallons per hour, 50 feet.

  •  (1) Vapourizers, if housed, should be installed in detached buildings used exclusively for liquefied petroleum gas vapourization and if the vapourizer is installed in a lean-to, shed or room of a building, such building may only be used for liquefied petroleum gas operations.

  • (2) The vapourizer building or room, as the case may be, shall be constructed of non-combustible or fire resistant materials, shall be cross-ventilated at the floor and ceiling levels by louvered openings, and should be provided with not less than 1 square foot of explosion relief venting on the open side per 40 cubic feet of inside space.

  •  (1) A direct fired vapourizer or the heating device which supplies steam, hot water, or other fire-safe heating medium for an indirect fired vapourizer shall be separated from all other liquefied petroleum gas equipment, such as pumps or gas mixing devices by fireproof and vapourproof walls.  Access to such vapourizer and heating device shall be from the outside only.  The firewall shall be of not less than 1 hour fire resistance.  Other parts of the room housing the heating device shall be constructed of noncombustible or fire resistant material.  Cross ventilation shall be provided by other means than doors and windows.

  • (2) This section does not apply to domestic water heaters which may supply heat for a vapourizer in a domestic system.

 The use of a direct gas-fired tank heater or the mounting of any vapourizer on a liquefied petroleum gas storage tank is prohibited on the railway right-of-way.

PART VIIIGeneral

 The area within 25 feet of a tank with a water capacity exceeding 200 Imperial gallons, a loading or unloading rack, a pump, building, etc. shall be free of debris, and grass and weeds shall be kept cut to a height not exceeding 6 inches.  The general housekeeping and maintenance of buildings, tanks, etc. shall be of the highest standard.

 Defective piping, valves or fittings shall be repaired immediately.

  •  (1) Installations with a total water capacity not exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons that provide fuel directly to heating, cooking or welding appliances on the installation site are exempt from the requirements of this section.

  • (2) All electric motors, switches, motor controllers, circuit breakers, wiring and any other electrical facility inside a building housing a liquefied petroleum gas pump or other similar equipment, or within 25 feet of an outdoor liquefied petroleum gas storage tank, loading or unloading point, pump or other similar equipment, shall conform to the regulations set forth in the latest edition of the Canadian Electrical Code for Class 1, Group D, Division I hazardous locations.

 Smoking and the use of portable open flame lights or equipment shall be prohibited except in certain isolated and clearly designated safe areas, and signs to this effect shall be posted at the plant entrances and at the loading and unloading sites.  (See Section 75 for restrictions applying to welding)

  •  (1) Water, dry powder, carbon dioxide, or other fire extinguishers suitable for liquefied petroleum gas fires shall be available on installations with storage capacities exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons.  At least one fire extinguisher shall be kept on the outside premises.

  • (2) Each storage area with a capacity exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons should be protected by at least one standard fire hydrant so located that a 2 1/2-inch hose stream may be used for controlling a fire on the site or cooling a tank in case of adjacent fires.  Consultation with the local fire authority on these matters is recommended.

  •  (1) Uninsulated liquefied petroleum gas storage tanks with water capacities exceeding 100 Imperial gallons, which are installed out-of-doors, shall be painted with a heat reflective paint.  Paint should be white enamel or slow chalking, white paint rather than aluminium paint.

  • (2) The words “CAUTION-PROPANE” (or other liquefied petroleum gas name) not less than 6 inches high shall be painted on each outdoor storage tank with a water capacity exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons.

  • (3) On application, the Railway Transport Committee may approve means of identification other than those prescribed by subsections (1) and (2).

  • SOR/81-144, s. 1

 Each liquefied petroleum gas installation with a storage capacity exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons of water shall be completely enclosed within a steel mesh fence not less than 5 feet high.  The mesh shall be made from steel wire of not less than 0.10 inch diameter.  The opening in the mesh shall not be greater than 6 inches.  The fence gates shall be locked when the installation is unattended and at least two means of access through the fencing shall be provided.

  •  (1) Except for the frame, all buildings, compartments, bottling rooms, lean-tos or platforms shall be constructed of non-combustible or fire resistant materials.

  • (2) All enclosures where liquefied petroleum gas is handled shall be provided with cross ventilation by means of permanently open louvers near floor level.

  • (3) Containers of flammable liquids or gases shall not be stored in a room occupied by liquefied petroleum gas equipment.

  • (4) Buildings shall be maintained in a clean and tidy condition.

 Welding shall not be permitted within 150 feet of a loading or unloading site while loading or unloading operations are in progress.  At other times, welding may only be allowed when carried out under close supervision and in accordance with the provisions of Canadian Standards Association Pamphlet W-117.

  •  (1) All liquefied petroleum gases shall be effectively odourized by an approved agent of such character as positively indicates, by distinct odour, the presence of gas down to concentrations in air of not over one-fifth the lower limit of flammability.  For propane the lower limit of flammability is 2.37 per cent.

  • (2) Exemption from the requirements of this section may be granted if it is established to the satisfaction of the Commission that the odourant will be harmful in subsequent processing or use of the gas.

  • (3) The requirements of subsection (1) shall be deemed to be complied with if 1 pound of Ethyl Mercaptan, 1 pound of Thiophane, or 1.4 pounds of Amyl Mercaptan per 10,000 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas is used.  The listing of odourants in this section is not intended to exclude the use of other odourants which meet the requirements of subsection (1).

 Under ordinary circumstances, the diking of liquefied petroleum gas storage tanks is not required, except that the Commission may require erection of a dike under those circumstances where a dike would provide protection for adjoining property.

 All liquefied petroleum gas installations are subject to inspection at any time by any duly authorized officer of the Commission.

 The owning or operating company shall report immediately by wire to the railway company concerned and to the Director of Operation, Canadian Transport Commission, Ottawa, Ontario, every fire resulting in damage to the installation, every explosion or major pipe line or tank failure occurring on the installation, and shall submit a detailed report by mail of such accident.

 For further details, the following publications are suggested:

  • (a) liquefied petroleum gas Pamphlets Nos. 58 and 59 published by the National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch Street, Boston 10, Massachusetts;

  • (b) Handbook of Butane and Propane Gases published by Jenkins Publications, Inc., 198 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles 4, California;

  • (c) Compressed Gas Association pamphlet Safety Relief Device Standards for Compressed Gas Storage Containers published by the Compressed Gas Association, Inc., 500 Fifth Ave., New York 36, New York; and

  • (d) Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc., pamphlet Hose for Conducting LP Gas published by Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada, P.O. Box 38, O’Connor Postal Station, Toronto 16, Ontario, or Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc., 161 Sixth Avenue, New York 13, New York.

PART IXSwitch Heater Facilities

 This Part applies to switch heater facilities with a storage capacity of 2000 imp. gal. or less.

  • SOR/79-201, s. 2

 Switch heater facilities shall be designed, located, constructed, operated and maintained in full compliance with these Regulations.

  • SOR/79-201, s. 2

 Foundations shall be built in accordance with sound engineering practice and in such a way as to prevent damage to the tank and piping system.

  • SOR/79-201, s. 2
 

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