Hazardous Materials and Special Operations
Hazardous materials and special operations
IFC Chapters 50 through 67 regulate hazardous materials and processes: classification, maximum allowable quantities, control areas, permits, separation, ventilation, and emergency planning. Special operations such as spray finishing, dry cleaning, and LP-gas use add specific rules.
Core rules
- Hazardous materials are classified by physical and health hazards; quantities are compared with maximum allowable quantities (MAQs) in the code tables.
- Control areas allow limited quantities inside buildings; the number and construction of control areas depend on the building.
- An operational permit is often required for storage or use above listed thresholds.
- Storage cabinets, separation, sprinklers, and ventilation can affect what is allowed, but they do not make quantities unlimited.
- High-hazard contents and processes may require a hazard mitigation analysis and emergency plan.
Worked example
A shop wants to store 15 gallons of a Class IB flammable liquid in a listed cabinet and 10 gallons outside the cabinet in the same room. The reviewer classifies the liquid, totals the quantity in the control area, and compares it with the MAQ for the occupancy. The cabinet is not a free pass: cabinet limits and control-area limits both apply. If the total exceeds the MAQ or permit threshold, the shop must reduce quantities, add an approved control area, or upgrade protection. The permit application must show the classification, quantity, container type, and storage location.
Traps
Ignoring small containers when totaling quantities; assuming a cabinet exempts all limits; mixing incompatible materials in one control area; and missing a permit because the material is "just a cleaning solvent."