[National Qualifications You Can Aim For in Your 70s (Part 9)] Let's Understand Designated Quantities and Storage Regulations
Last time, we learned about the characteristics of gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and alcohols as representative examples of Class 4 hazardous materials.
This time, we will explain "designated quantities" and "multiples of designated quantities," which are frequently asked about in the legal field of the Otsu-4 exam.
The designated quantity is the standard amount used to determine whether Fire Service Act regulations apply to hazardous materials. Make sure to grasp not only the numerical values but also how to calculate the multiples.
What is a designated quantity?
A designated quantity is a standard amount established by the Fire Service Act based on the danger level of the hazardous material.
In principle, hazardous materials in quantities equal to or greater than the designated quantity cannot be stored or handled in places other than manufacturing plants, storage facilities, or handling facilities that have received permission from the municipal mayor or equivalent.
What to note here is that regulations under the Fire Service Act apply not just when the designated quantity is exceeded, but from the moment the designated quantity is reached.
For example, the designated quantity for gasoline is 200L. Even at exactly 200L, it falls under the category of being equal to or greater than the designated quantity.
Designated Quantities for Class 4 Hazardous Materials
The designated quantities for Class 4 hazardous materials are as follows:
Special flammable materials... 50L
Class 1 petroleum (non-water-soluble)... 200L
Class 1 petroleum (water-soluble)... 400L
Alcohols... 400L
Class 2 petroleum (non-water-soluble)... 1,000L
Class 2 petroleum (water-soluble)... 2,000L
Class 3 petroleum (non-water-soluble)... 2,000L
Class 3 petroleum (water-soluble)... 4,000L
Class 4 petroleum... 6,000L
Animal and vegetable oils... 10,000L
For representative substances, the following values are particularly important.
Gasoline... 200L
Alcohols... 400L
Kerosene/Diesel fuel... 1,000L
Heavy oil... 2,000L
For Class I to Class III petroleum, the designated quantity differs depending on whether it is water-soluble or non-water-soluble.
The designated quantity for water-soluble liquids is twice that of non-water-soluble liquids of the same petroleum class. This relationship is also frequently asked on exams.
Multiple of the designated quantity
The value indicating how many times the designated quantity the hazardous materials actually stored or handled represent is called the "multiple of the designated quantity."
The calculation formula is as follows:
Quantity of hazardous material ÷ Designated quantity of that hazardous material
For example, if you are storing 600L of gasoline,
600 ÷ 200 = 3
Therefore, it is 3 times the designated quantity.
When handling different hazardous materials
When storing or handling different types of hazardous materials in the same location, calculate the multiple for each and add them together.
For example, let's consider the case of handling 100L of gasoline and 500L of kerosene.
For gasoline,
100 ÷ 200 = 0.5
For kerosene,
500 ÷ 1,000 = 0.5
When you add these together,
0.5 + 0.5 = 1
The multiple of the designated quantity becomes 1.
Both gasoline and kerosene are below the designated quantity individually, but since the sum of their multiples is 1, the total amount qualifies as being at or above the designated quantity.
This calculation is a standard question on the Otsu 4 exam.
Can you handle it freely if it is below the designated quantity?
If it is below the designated quantity, permission as a hazardous materials facility under the Fire Service Act is generally not required.
However, this does not mean you can store or handle it freely.
Hazardous materials below the designated quantity may also be subject to regulations under municipal fire prevention ordinances.
Many local governments regulate hazardous materials that are at least one-fifth of the designated quantity but less than the designated quantity as 'small-quantity hazardous materials'.
Remember that even if it is below the designated quantity, notifications and safe storage corresponding to the quantity may be required.
Key points to remember for the exam
The important points for this section are as follows:
The designated quantity is the standard quantity for regulations under the Fire Service Act
When it reaches the designated quantity, it becomes 'at or above the designated quantity'
Water-soluble Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 petroleum products are twice the designated quantity of non-water-soluble ones
The multiple is calculated by 'quantity ÷ designated quantity'
The multiples of different hazardous materials are added together
Even if it is below the designated quantity, it may be subject to fire prevention ordinance regulations
Conclusion
Designated quantities are a topic you must master for the legal section of the Class B Group 4 hazardous materials exam.
First, memorize the representative values: 200L for gasoline, 400L for alcohols, 1,000L for kerosene and diesel oil, and 2,000L for heavy oil.
After that, it is important to repeatedly practice calculating the multiples when combining different hazardous materials.
Next time, I will explain "other Class 4 hazardous materials." We will organize the representative examples and properties of Class 3 petroleum, Class 4 petroleum, and animal/vegetable oils.