Section 296-155-265. Fire prevention.

(1) Ignition hazards.

(a) Electrical wiring and equipment for light, heat, or power purposes must be installed in compliance with the requirements of Part I of this standard.

(b) You must locate internal combustion engine powered equipment so that exhausts are well away from combustible materials. When exhausts are piped to outside the building under construction, a clearance of at least 6 inches must be maintained between such piping and combustible material.

(c) Smoking must be prohibited at or in the vicinity of operations which constitute a fire hazard, and must be conspicuously posted: "No smoking or open flame."

(d) Portable battery powered lighting equipment, used in connection with the storage, handling, or use of flammable gases or liquids, must be of the type approved for the hazardous locations.

(e) The nozzle of air, inert gas, and steam lines or hoses, when used in the cleaning or ventilation of tanks and vessels that contain hazardous concentrations of flammable gases or vapors, must be bonded to the tank or vessel shell. Bonding devices must not be attached or detached in hazardous concentrations of flammable gases or vapors.

(f) Workers must not take open lights or open flames near or in an open sewer manhole, gas main, conduit or other similar place until the absence of explosive or harmful gases has been assured. Open lights or flames must not be carried into areas and enclosures where flammable vapors or exposed low flash point solvents exist. Only approved and suitable protected lights must be used.

(2) Temporary buildings.

(a) You must not erect any temporary building where it will adversely affect any means of exit.

(b) Temporary buildings, when located within another building or structure, must be of either noncombustible construction or of combustible construction having a fire resistance of not less than 1 hour.

(c) Temporary buildings, located other than inside another building and not used for the storage, handling, or use of flammable liquids, flammable gases, explosives, or blasting agents, or similar hazardous occupancies, must be located at a distance of not less than 10 feet from another building or structure. Groups of temporary buildings, not exceeding 2,000 square feet in aggregate, must, for the purpose of this part, be considered a single temporary building.

(3) Open yard storage.

(a) You must pile combustible materials with due regard to the stability of piles and in no case higher than 20 feet.

(b) Driveways between and around combustible storage piles must be at least 15 feet wide and maintained free from accumulation of rubbish, equipment, or other articles or materials. Driveways must be so spaced that a maximum grid system unit of 50 feet by 150 feet is produced.

(c) You must keep the entire storage site free from accumulation of unnecessary combustible materials. You must keep weeds and grass down and a regular procedure provided for the periodic cleanup of the entire area.

(d) When there is a danger of an underground fire, you must not use that land for combustible or flammable storage.

(e) Method of piling must be solid wherever possible and in orderly and regular piles. You must not store any combustible material outdoors within 10 feet of a building or structure.

(f) You must provide portable fire extinguishing equipment, suitable for the fire hazard involved, at convenient, conspicuously accessible locations in the yard area. You must place portable fire extinguishers, rated not less than 2A, so that maximum travel distance to the nearest unit must not exceed 100 feet.

(4) Indoor storage.

(a) Storage must not obstruct, or adversely affect, means of exit.

(b) You must store all materials, handled, and piled with due regard to their fire characteristics.

(c) You must segregate noncompatible materials, which may create a fire hazard, by a barrier having a fire resistance of at least 1 hour.

(d) You must pile material to minimize the spread of fire internally and to permit convenient access for firefighting. You must maintain stable piling at all times. You must maintain aisle space to safely accommodate the widest vehicle that may be used within the building for firefighting purposes.

(e) You must maintain clearance of at least 36 inches between the top level of the stored material and the sprinkler deflectors.

(f) You must maintain clearance around lights and heating units to prevent ignition of combustible materials.

(g) You must maintain a clearance of 24 inches around the path of travel of fire doors unless a barricade is provided, in which case no clearance is needed. Material must not be stored within 36 inches of a fire door opening.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-265, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910 Subpart Z. WSR 14-07-086, § 296-155-265, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 88-23-054 (Order 88-25), § 296-155-265, filed 11/14/88; Order 74-26, § 296-155-265, filed 5/7/74, effective 6/6/74.]

RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-265, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910 Subpart Z. WSR 14-07-086, § 296-155-265, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 88-23-054 (Order 88-25), § 296-155-265, filed 11/14/88; Order 74-26, § 296-155-265, filed 5/7/74, effective 6/6/74.