NFPA 30: Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code; 2021 Edition

Keep Pace with Innovations in Safety. Stay Current with Best Practices in Flammable and Ignitible Liquids.

NFPA 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, offers comprehensive requirements to help safeguard against fire and explosion hazards while storing, dispensing, handling, transferring, and using flammable and ignitible liquids.

This must-have code is for anyone responsible for flammable and combustible liquids compliance. It covers indoor and outdoor liquid storage containers and tanks, hazardous material storage lockers, tank vehicles, piping systems, electrical systems, storage areas, wharves, and processing facilities.

Revisions and additions to the code are dictated by industry experience and advancements in technology:

• Sweeping changes in the classification scheme for liquids, including the introduction of the term ignitible liquid, initiate a transition whereby the terms flammable liquid and combustible liquid are no longer used. This causes the requirements in NFPA 30 and other codes and standards to adopt a scheme based exclusively on the liquid physical state and property (i.e., the liquid flash point), for all liquids that can be ignited. The necessity for this change stems from the existence of multiple regulatory systems that use the terms flammable liquid and combustible liquid inconsistently, leading to confusion in how to apply regulations properly among overlapping regulatory authorities, such as fire officials, occupational safety officials, and transportation officials.
• The term ignitible liquid is now used to include all liquids with a measurable flash point. The terms flammable liquid andcombustible liquid have been retained in a diminished capacity to assist existing code users in the transition. Unless otherwise specified, the term liquid means ignitible liquid.
• As a result of the change in approach for classifying liquids, Chapter 4 is no longer for defining the liquid classification but instead for establishing the classification scheme based on the introduced flash point and boiling point criteria. Chapter 3 now defines specific liquids.
• Revisions to Chapters 1, 3, and 4 make the requirements consistent with each other in terms of the scope of the code, specific terminology, and the evaluation of liquids within the classification scheme.
• The new classification scheme outlined in Chapter 4 is implemented throughout the code and annexes.