Fire prevention

Safety when handling flammable substances

CEMO’s fire protection solutions enable the safe and legally compliant storage of flammable liquids. From safety cabinets for small containers and drums to walk-in fire prevention rooms and shelving units, they offer certified fire prevention, high functionality and a durable model.

Well-thought-out features and practical design ensure maximum safety and ease of use in day-to-day operations.

90

minutes

fireproof|fire rating

Safe storage of flammable liquids.

Protects people, operations and the environment through controlled storage and loading processes.

Safety distances for the storage of flammable liquids

In the case of hazardous substance storage facilities without fire prevention, a safety distance must be maintained when storing flammable liquids. According to TRGS 510, Section 12.4.1, paragraph 2, this distance depends on the quantity to be stored:

Distance	Total storage volume (GLV)	Substance
None	GLV ≤ 200 kg GLV ≤ 1,000 kg	H224, H225 H226
5 m	200 kg ≤ GLV < 1,000 kg	H224, H225
10 m	1,000 kg ≤ GLV	H224, H225, H226
10–30 m	GLV > 10 m³	H224, H225, H226

CEMO Campus: Legal requirements for the storage of flammable liquids

Passive storage

Storage in tightly sealed containers is often referred to as ‘passive’ storage. During storage, the containers must not be emptied or filled, and opening them for any other purpose is prohibited. The entire room is defined as an Ex Zone 2. A minimum air change rate of 0.4 is required. This may also be achieved through natural ventilation.

Active storage

If further activities are carried out in the storage area (e.g. decanting or transferring – ‘active’ storage), a risk assessment must be carried out to determine the ventilation requirements. Recommended freely accessible sources for the assessment include, amongst others, DGUV 113-001 (Ex-Guideline), TRGS 509 and EMKG (BAuA). As a rule, the entire room is defined as Ex Zone 1 and a ventilation rate of 5 air changes per hour is specified.

Storage	Air changes	Type of ventilation	Monitoring
Passive	0.4 air changes per hour	natural / mechanical	no / yes
active	according to the risk assessment (usually 5 air changes per hour)	mechanical	yes

CEMO Glossary: Terms explained briefly

Term	Explanation
TRGS 510	Technical Regulation for Hazardous Substances on the ‘Storage of Hazardous Substances in Transportable Containers’ – governs, amongst other things, safety distances, storage quantities and ventilation requirements for flammable and flammable liquids.
Fire resistance class Type 90	Indicates a safety cabinet which, in the event of a fire, offers at least 90 minutes’ fire resistance without the internal temperature rising by more than 180 Kelvin – tested in accordance with DIN EN 14470-1:2023 (Safety cabinets for flammable liquids). For containers, compliance is demonstrated in accordance with EN 13501-2 or DIN 4102. TRGS 510 requires the highest fire resistance class, Type 90, for the unrestricted storage of flammable liquids in the workplace.
Active storage	A storage situation in which containers are opened for removal, filling or decanting. Requires mechanical ventilation.
Passive storage	Storage in tightly sealed containers without opening, emptying or filling during the storage period. Natural ventilation is usually sufficient.
Safety distance	The minimum distance between a hazardous substances storage area and buildings, as prescribed by TRGS 510 – graded according to the quantity stored (5 m or 10 m).
H224–H226	Hazard statements (H-phrases) under the CLP Regulation for labelling the flammability of a liquid based on its flash point and boiling point: H224 = extremely flammable (flash point < 23 °C, boiling point ≤ 35 °C, Category 1), H225 = highly flammable (flash point < 23 °C, boiling point > 35 °C, Category 2), H226 = flammable (flash point ≥ 23 °C, boiling point ≤ 60 °C, Category 3). From H224 onwards, safety cabinets usually require mechanical ventilation.
Air change rate	A measure of the ventilation capacity of a storage system – e.g. 0.4 air changes (natural) or 5 to 10 air changes (mechanical) per hour, depending on the type of storage and the hazard.
Ex zone (Zone 0│1│2)	Classification of an area based on the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere: Zone 0 (constant hazard), Zone 1 (occasional hazard during normal operation), Zone 2 (hazard only in the event of rare malfunctions). For safety cabinets without mechanical ventilation, the interior is classified as Zone 1 or Zone 2 depending on use; if the interior is Zone 1, a surrounding area of at least 2.5 m is also classified as Zone 2 (see TRGS 510, Annex 1).
Equipotential bonding	Electrical earthing of a cabinet or container in accordance with TRGS 727 ‘Prevention of ignition hazards resulting from electrostatic charges’, which prevents electrostatic charges from building up when handling flammable liquids and triggering an ignition spark. Absolutely essential when a safety cabinet is operated without mechanical ventilation.
Collection volume for safety cabinets	Unlike bunds (10 % of the total storage volume), the following applies to safety cabinets: The collection volume must be capable of accommodating at least 110 % of the largest single container stored (see TRGS 510, Annex 1).
DIN EN 14470-1	German version of the European standard for safety cabinets for the storage of flammable liquids. The version revised in 2023 increased the permissible internal volume from 1 m³ to 2 m³ and removed the former ‘Type 15’ class, which was no longer in use in Germany anyway. In addition, DIN EN 16121 / DIN EN 16122 (successor standards to the former DIN EN 14727) specify minimum requirements for the quality of laboratory cabinet construction.

How to find the right solution for workplace fire prevention

Where should the liquids be stored?

PROline safety cabinets

Type 90 – 90 minutes’ fire resistance from both inside and outside according to DIN EN 14470-1
For the indoor storage of small containers and drums
110% collection volume guarantees storage in accordance with regulations

View details of fire-resistant cabinets

Type 90 fire protection container

Type 90 / REI90 – 90 minutes’ fire resistance from both inside and outside according to EN 13501-2
with general construction inspection certification
suitable for use as an accessible room container for fire prevention purposes on small premises
as a shelving container for drums, pallets and IBCs

Hazardous materials container

for the storage of flammable liquids (H224–H226) > 1,000 kg, at a safety distance of at least 10 m from existing buildings
Accessible as a hazardous materials room container for storage in small containers or, as a hazardous materials racking container, for the storage of drums, pallets and IBCs
with general construction inspection certification

View details on hazardous material containers