{"id":4889,"date":"2018-11-19T10:26:31","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T14:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uschemicalstorage.com\/news\/?p=4889"},"modified":"2025-02-22T15:29:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T20:29:50","slug":"flammable-liquid-storage-military-applications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uschemicalstorage.com\/staging\/flammable-liquid-storage-military-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"Military Applications for Flammable Liquid Storage Buildings"},"content":{"rendered":" \r\n\r\nFlammable and hazardous chemicals cause major fires and injuries every year in industrial applications. Similarly, the military also uses large quantities of these materials and is subject to the same risks as other industrial applications. One of the main chemicals used in the maintenance of military equipment as a cleaning solvent and degreaser is isopropyl alcohol, also called isopropanol. With a flashpoint of 53 F, this solvent is very flammable and NFPA categorizes it as Class IB. OSHA places it in Category II.\r\n\r\nTo maintain fleet readiness and mission preparedness, military units need critical support chemicals on hand in local flammable liquid storage facilities. Due to the variety and volume of chemicals required, it is important to follow NFPA and OSHA codes.\r\n

RELATED ARTICLE: Flammable Chemical Safety<\/a><\/p>\r\nConsider the following points when storing chemicals for the military:\r\n

1. Separate flammable chemicals<\/h3>\r\nNFPA 30<\/a> and OSHA 1910.106<\/a> regulations cover flammable liquid storage requirements. They specify segregated storage for flammable liquids. Storage buildings must meet fire-rating criteria, based on their location. Always refer to the chemicals\u2019 Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to determine chemical properties for storage. Even some flammables may be incompatible and need to be stored separately. A naval base experienced an explosion due to a mixture of nitric acid and isopropyl alcohol.\r\n

2. Not all buildings meet flammable liquid storage requirements<\/h3>\r\nIntermodal containers (also known as ISO containers or Conex boxes) are used in the military for transport and equipment storage. But, these buildings do not meet NPFA requirements for chemical storage. Intermodal containers do not have controlled venting to remove flammable vapors, and are vulnerable to corrosion and leaks. Conex containers do not have integral secondary containment sumps and can allow flammable chemicals to spread into the environment. Most importantly, they do not meet FM and UL approval standards since they are refurbished shipping containers.\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Follow procedure when opening a flammable storage building<\/h3>\r\nFlammable liquid storage buildings are considered hazardous environments. Creating and following a procedure for entering a flammable storage building can minimize safety risks and prevent fire and injuries. A sample procedure could look something like this:\r\n