Fuel Tanks Capacity & Distance Regulations
AN OVERVIEW ABOUT
Flammable & Combustible
The Australian Dangerous Goods Code makes a distiction between flammable and combustible liquids based on their flash point and boiling point. Liquids with a flash point of below 60°C are considered as flammable, while liquids with a flash point between 60°C and 93°C are considered combustible.
Regulations on handling, storage, and transportation of flammable and combustible liquids may vary.
The Basics
600mm DISTANCE
Horizontal Tanks
Horizontal tanks must have at least a distance of 600mm from each other when installed together.
AS 1940-2017 5.7.5 and 5.7.6
1m DISTANCE
Vertical Tanks
Vertical tanks must have at least a distance of 1 meter from each other when installed together.
AS 1940-2017 5.7.5 and 5.7.6
NOT MORE THAN 1000 LITRE CAPACITY
Tanks Inside Buildings
Tanks for combustible C1 liquids can be installed inside a building provided that they are not more than 1,000L, not interconnected, and there is a provision to contain small leaks and spills.
AS 1940-2017 5.6.3.1
3m DISTANCE FROM
Ignition Sources
A minimum of 3 metre distance is required from a flammable self-bunded tank to any ignition source, including the vehicle being refilled.
AS 1940-2017 5.9.2 (g)
Minor Storage
AN OVERVIEW ABOUT
Minor Storage Exemptions
Storage of flammable or combustible liquids in quantities not exceeding the amount below may be classified as minor storage and are exempted from the other sections of AS 1940 Standards.
Multiple minor storages in an allowable area must be separated by at least 20 metres for indoors or 15 metres for outdoors.
AS 1940-2017 2.1 and 2.2.3
MINOR STORAGE CAPACITY LIMITATIONS
Class 3 PG II [Petrol]
Indoors: Factories / Warehouse / Workshops
1 litre per 2m2 not exceeding 250 litres in 500m2 area
Indoors: Commercial Buildings
10 litres per 50m2
Outdoors: Commercial Buildings with 1m Separation
250 litres
Construction Sites
2,500 litres
Open Land
5,000 litres
AS 1940-2017 2.2.4 and 2.2.5 Table 2.1
MINOR STORAGE CAPACITY LIMITATIONS
Class 3 PG III [Jet Fuel / Kerosene]
Indoors: Factories / Warehouse / Workshops
1 litre per 2m2 not exceeding 500 litres in 500m2 area
Indoors: Commercial Buildings
25 litres per 50m2
Outdoors: Commercial Buildings with 1m Separation
1,400 litres in tanks not over 700 litres each
Construction Sites
5,000 litres
Open Land
5,000 litres
AS 1940-2017 2.2.4 and 2.2.5 Table 2.1
MINOR STORAGE CAPACITY LIMITATIONS
Class C1 &C2 [Diesel / Lube Oil]
Indoors: Factories / Warehouse / Workshops
4 litres per m2 not exceeding 2,000 litres in 500m2 area
Indoors: Commercial Buildings
500 litres per 500m2 area
Outdoors: Commercial Buildings with 1m Separation
5,000 litres
Construction Sites
10,000 litres
Open Land
10,000 litres
AS 1940-2017 2.2.4 and 2.2.5 Table 2.1
Separation Distances
FUEL TANK SEPARATION DISTANCE TO
Boundary or Security Fences
Flammable Liquids Class 3 [Petrol / Kerosene]
Width / diameter of the tank or 15m, whichever is less, but not less than 6m or the distanced based on capacity as indicated below.
Combustible Liquids Class C1 [Diesel]
Width or diameter of the tank or 7.5m but at least 3m, whichever is lesser.
Combustible Liquids Class C2 [Lube Oil]
Unrestricted, determined by the compound
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.3
DISTANCE FROM OFF-SITE PROTECTED PLACES
Flammable Class 3 PG I & II [Petrol]
Max Capacity
Minimum Distance
Tank Options
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.4
DISTANCE FROM OFF-SITE PROTECTED PLACES
Flammable Class 3 PG III [Jet Fuel]
Max Capacity
Minimum Distance
Tank Options
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.4
DISTANCE FROM OFF-SITE PROTECTED PLACES
Combustible Class C1 [Diesel]
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.4
DISTANCE FROM OFF-SITE PROTECTED PLACES
Combustible Class C2 [Lube Oil]
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.4
FUEL TANK SEPARATION DISTANCE TO
ON-SITE PROTECTED PLACES
*On-Site Protected Places refers to office buildings, warehoues, manufacturing and processing areas, workshop, or amenities blocks that are in the same premises or boundary as the storage tank.
Flammable Liquids Class 3 [Petrol / Kerosene]
Required distance based on capacity as indicated above but need not exceed 15m.
Combustible Liquids Class C1 [Diesel]
Required distance based on capacity as indicated above but need not exceed 7.5m
Combustible Liquids Class C2 [Lube Oil]
Unrestricted, determined by the compound
AS 1940-2017 5.7.2 Table 5.3
Clustering of Tanks
REQUIREMENTS IN CLUSTERING
Vertical Tanks
Width or Diameter
Tanks with width or diameter greater than 3m but not more than 10m can be clustered with reduced tank-to-tank spacing.
Reduced Distance
The distance between two tanks must be at least 1 metre.
Cluster Area Limitations
Total cross-sectional area of all tanks must not exceed 320m2.
AS 1940-2017 5.7.5
REQUIREMENTS IN CLUSTERING
Horizontal Tanks
Compliance
Horizontal tanks must comply with AS 1692 and AS 1940 requirements.
Reduced Distance
The distance between two horizontal tanks must be at least 600mm.
Clustering with Vertical Tanks
Distance from an adjacent vertical tank must be at least 1 metre.
Horizontal Tank Placement
Tanks may be arranged parallel but not end-to-end unless potential end failure and exposure hazard has been taken into account.
AS 1940-2017 5.7.6
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