As a chemical that’s used on mass across a vast range of industries, kerosene isconsidered a highly useful substance.Whether it’s beingutilisedasa solvent and lubricant in manufacturing plantsor required asa jet fuel in the aviation industry, there are countless uses for thistype ofchemical.This blog addresses the often-asked question, ‘Is kerosene flammable’and details how this substance should be stored in indoor and outdoor locationsto maintain safety and compliance. Let’s first explain what kerosene is and how it’s chemical properties canaffect how it’s handled and stored in your workplace. Kerosene isa hydrocarbon liquid that’sobtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum.Discoveredin the late 1840s by Canadian physician Abraham Gasner, kerosenehas been used across a broad range of industries. The hydrocarbons that make up kerosene are relatively small— with approximately10 to 16 carbon atoms per molecule.Thischemical compositionmakes kerosenean ideal fuel, whether it’s for powering jets or running kerosene lamps.This chemical istypically pale yelloworcolourlessand hasan unpleasant ‘oily’odour. The Australian Dangerous Goods(ADG)Code classifies Class 3FlammableLiquids as liquids or mixtures of liquids, such as kerosene, that have aflashpointbelow 60 °C. IMPORTANT:A flashpoint is the temperature at which substances give off enough flammablevapoursto ignite in the presence of an ignition source. Kerosene has a flashpoint range between 37 and 65°C.When comparing kerosene toa flammable liquid such aspetrol(which has a low flash point of-43 degrees °C), it’s regarded as a less flammable and volatile substance due to its flash point range.To determine the flammability of your onsite flammable liquids, you’ll need to refer to the individualSafety Data Sheet (SDS)of eachflammablechemical that you carry. An example of an SDS forCaltex Keroseneappearsbelow: If yourbusinessuses kerosene on a regular basis,it’svery important thatyou’reaware of its dangerous properties.Being aware of thechemicalproperties of kerosene will allow you to put measures in place to controlchemical risks. Onedangerousproperty associated with kerosene isthe chemical’sflammability.Like all flammable liquids, it’s not actually the liquid part of kerosene that burns, but the flammablevapoursthat disperse from the substance. Therefore, the more flammablevapoursthat a substance will produce, the more flammable it will be.WhatExactlyIs Kerosene?
Is Kerosene Classed As Flammable?
How Flammable Is Kerosene?
If a substance emits a large volume of flammable vapours, there is the increased risk of fire and explosion.
The main factor that determines the ability of a substance to give off flammablevapoursis the strength of the forces of attraction between the molecules that make up the substance. The smaller the molecules, the weaker the intermolecular forces of attraction that will exist between the molecules. As the molecules that make up kerosene are quite small, less heat energy is required to break the intermolecular forces between the molecules and therefore they can easily escape as a gas.
At temperatures above 36 °C, kerosene will produce enough flammablevapoursto form a mixture with air that will ignite in the presence of an ignition source.
Since temperatures of 36 °C are not uncommon in Australia, kerosene can be considered as a relatively flammable substance. However,when compared with other substances such as petrol, kerosene is less volatile. Petrol is so volatile that it will give off enough flammablevapoursat -43 °C to ignite in the presence of an ignition source. Therefore,kerosene is very flammable, but it is less volatile and safer to use than petrol.
HowTo Store Kerosene
Know that we’ve established the flammability of kerosene, it’s time to discuss how and where you should store kerosene in your workplace.
As we’ve previously mentioned,kerosene is classified as a Class 3 Flammable Liquid. Therefore,it must be stored in full conformance to the requirements outlined in the Australian StandardAS1940:2017 - The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids.
Kerosene, like all Class 3 Flammable Liquids, should be stored in conformance with AS 1940:2017.
While the Australian Standards are not law, certain sections of theStandardsmay bereferenced in a dangerous goods regulation. When this occurs,organisationsand their responsible personnel can be prosecuted for not adhering to the section of theStandard that was referenced in theDangerous Goods Regulation.
The Australian Standards are often mentioned in theDangerous Goods Regulationsand are accepted as an important solution for meeting regulatory compliance.
AS1940:2017outlines different requirements for the indoor storage of flammable liquids and the outdoor storage of flammable liquids.We’ll explain the requirements in further detail below:
Storing Kerosene Indoors
As a flammable liquid,kerosene maybe safely stored indoors using a flammable liquids storage cabinet.
Section 4.9 of AS1940:2017outlines the requirements forindoor flammable liquids storage cabinets. This section outlines the requirements regarding the cabinet’s:
- Construction
- Marking
- Ventilation
- Location
- Exclusion from ignition sources
- Operation requirements
If a cabinet doesn’t meet the stringent requirements ofthe Standard, the cabinetcan’tbe used for the storage of kerosene.
Some of the construction requirements for flammable liquids storage cabinets include:
- A double-walled sheet steel construction with a 40mm air gap
- Self-closing closing fitting doors that hold shut by catches at two or more points
- A 150mm deep spill containment sump in the bottom of the cabinet
- Perforated shelves that allow free air movement within the cabinet
Indoor flammable storage cabinets must also have the correct dangerous goods signage to warn workers of any hazards associated with the dangerous substances stored within the cabinet.
Only flammable cabinets that have been constructed to conform with Australian Standard 1940:2017 are considered suitable for the indoor storage of kerosene.
The cabinet must also have the provision for a ventilation system. The installation of a mechanical ventilation system may be required in tokeep the concentration of the flammablevapoursinside the cabinet below the workplace exposure standards.
IMPORTANT: As with all flammable liquids, care must be taken to ensure that the flammable liquids storage cabinet and any flammable liquid outdoor stores are isolated frompossibleworkplaceignition sources by a distance of at least 3metres.
Storing Kerosene Outdoors
If you have larger quantities of kerosene,it’ssafer to store them inan outdoor location.
AS1940:2017states that indoor flammable liquids storage cabinets must not have a capacity that exceeds 850L.Therefore, larger quantities of flammable liquidsmust be kept outdoors in order to reduce risk.
The most practical method for storing flammable liquids in the outdoor environment is to use achemical storage containerthat has been manufactured in full conformance to AS1940:2017.
When storing larger quantities of kerosene, choose an outdoor storage container that’s in full conformance with Australian Standards.
Section 4.1 - 4.8of AS 1940outlines the requirements for the design and construction of flammable chemical storage containers.
The requirements outlined in these sections include:
- Ventilation
- Spillage containment
- Markings and signage
- Segregation from incompatible chemicals
For a chemical storage container to be compliant, it must have at least two walls of fixed louvers with at least 50% of the walls being openings. This ventilation ensures that the concentration of the flammablevapours within the store are kept at a safe concentration.
Tominimisethe risk of fire, explosion and human harm — as well asprotect the environment from any spills that may occur—all chemical storage containers must have aspill containmentsump.
According to the Standard, acompliant spill containment sump must have the capacity to hold 100% of the capacity of the largest container within the store as well as 25% of the aggregate capacity of container. For chemical storage containers that have the capacity of greater than 10,000L, the spill containment sump must have an extra capacity of a least 10% of everylitrestored between 10,000L and 100,000L. For flammable liquids stores with a capacity greater than 100,000L, their spill containment sumps must have an extra capacity of at 5% of everylitreexceeding 100,000L.
Flammable liquids,such as kerosene,must also be safely segregated from other incompatible classes ofDangerous Goods. If incompatible substances mix, they will cause violent chemical reactions.Therefore, flammable liquidsmustbe safely segregated from other incompatible substances by following the requirements outlined in the dangerous goods segregation chart.
Flammable liquids storage containers must also have the correct dangerous goods signage to warn workers of the potential hazards associated with the flammable liquids being stored within the store. This includes a Class 3 Flammable Liquids diamond and a No Smoking No Ignition Sources Within 3Metressign.
To maintain a compliant flammable store, you mustdisplay the Flammable Liquids 3 diamond as well as the No Smoking No Ignition Sources signage.
How Are You Storing Your Kerosene?
As acommonly usedClass 3 Flammable Liquidthat’sutilisedbymany industries worldwide, kerosene must be stored in a manner that’sefficient, safe and compliant.To achievecompliant indoor or outdoor storage, kerosene storesmust be infullcompliance with the Australian Standard AS 1940:2017.
We highly recommend that you conductdangerous goods risk assessmentto identify all the areas where kerosene is stored. This will allow you to accurately assessthe severity and the likelihood of an incident occurring from the storage of the substance. Once you have identifiedthe major risk areas, you can then start to implement some controls to reduce theseseriousrisks.To learn more about risk reduction in your chemical stores,grab your copy of our eBook,How ToReduce The Risk Of Flammable Liquids In The Workplace. Our guide will take you step-by-step through the risk management process so you can minimise the risk of fire, explosion and human harm that kerosene stores pose to your business. Get your copy for free now.
